The history issued by the General Education Board says: "Dr.Knapp endeavored to teach his hearers not only how to raise cotton and corn, but how to conduct farming as a business--how to ascertain the cost of a crop, how to find out whether they were making or losing money.

As rapidly as possible the scope was broadened for the purpose of making the farmer more and more independent.

He was stimulated to raise stock, to produce feed and forage for his stock, and to interest himself in truck gardening, hog-raising, etc." The method used was to appoint county, district and state demonstration agents who would induce different farmers to cultivate a limited area according to specific directions.

As these agents were appointed by the Department of Agriculture, the farmer was flattered by being singled out by the Government.

In most cases the results of the experiments were far superior to those which the farmer had obtained merely by following tradition, and he usually applied the successful methods to his whole farm.
Some of his neighbors, who visited the demonstration plot to scoff at the idea that any one in Washington could teach a farmer how to grow cotton or corn, were wise enough to recognize the improvement and to follow the directions.