Possibilities of Securing Cooperation From The Lumber Industry in the Better Farm Structures Movement

Max E. Cook (Mem. A. S. A. E.) Farmstead Engineer California Redwood Association

(Delivered at the Anrrual Spring Meeting of the Pacific Coast Section of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers).

Lumbermen, as rvell as Agricultural Engineers. recognize thelvorth of complete plans, specifications and bills of material to encourage and nrake it easier for the farmer to build.

, l,ikervise, as does the farmer, the lumber dealers supplying him feel the need of plans that result not only in better arrangement and appearance, but that can be easily follorvecl rvithout rvaste of material or labor and rvith the greatest economy in choice of lengths, sizes and grades of material most suitable.

As modern merchants, progressive lumbermen are coming to appreciate the mutual benefits that accrue from the investment of the farmers' money in properly planned, practical and durable improvernents, instead of permitting it to be squanderecl on untested schemes and extravagant and useless l.vhims.

To the majority of efforts made by state agricultural colleges, experiment stations and others to enlist the lumbermen's cooperation and interest in "Better Farm Buildings" demonstrations, exhibits, conferences, etc., lumber interests have responded heartily and, unquestionably, mutual benefit has resulted therefrom.

The retail lumber clealer norv is. and for some time must be expected to rernain, the chief building advisor in most farming communities. He immediately commands definite recognition as one of our greatest powers for good in the dissemination of economically sound and useful building information of proven merit.

I am not overlooking that the agricultural engineer's impelling interest is in the perfection of design and construction of farm improvements rather than in the merchandising of construction materials, yet rvithout the acceDtance of de- sign and recommendations by the material manufacturers and their sales representatives; lvithout their willingness, and indeed ability, to manufacture and sell to specifications, the result is often a spreading of building propaganda that too frequently does more harm than good.

It is not sufficient for Agricultural Engineers to originate and put on paper and in print improved ideas on farm building construction. In spite of the very excellent work indeed of our State and Federal departments, including the tireless efforts of farm advisors. home demonstration agents and others offering services to the farmer, there yet remains a great lack of coordination betlveen these agencies and those commercial interests tvho are in still closer touch with the farmer, and rvhose advice is sought daily. The influence that the country Carpenter and the retail lumber dealer have rvith the farmer in arriving at important decisions on all building matters can hardly be over-estimated.

Although some of the more progressive lumbermen take advantage of the service of their state agricultural colleges (due them if for no other reason than as.tax payers), they are comparatively fetv. Experience has demonstrated that this process of securing distribution of suggestive building plans, descriptive bulletins and building advice is too slow to accomplisl-r anything like the desired results. We must "carry the message to Garcia." Some few of our agricultural colleges, have undertaken to do just this; notably, the Ohio State University by corresponding rvith country lumber dealers, carpenters and contractors, by sending extension agents to call on them and by arranging conferences, demonstrations, etc.

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