Chap. 353.—An ACT; to repeal an act of the general assembly of Virginia,
approved March 17, 1910, entitled an act to constitute a united agricul-
tural board to co-ordinate the Virginia college of agriculture and poly-
technic institute and the Virginia agricultural experiment station, the
commissioner and the State board of agriculture and the State board
of education, in co-operation with the United States department of
agriculture, for the betterment of agricultural experimental and demon-
stration work, and generally to advance the agricultural interests of this
State, and to authorize the boards of supervisors to appropriate county
funds for experimental] and demonstration work in their respective
counties, as amended and re-enacted by an act approved March 12, 1912,
and enacting certain provisions in lieu thereof, and making appropria-
tions to the Virginia agricultural and mechanical college and polytechnic
institute for demonstration work, and to authorize boards of supervisors
to appropriate county funds for demonstration work in their respective
counties, in co-operation with the Virginia agricultural and mechanical
college and polytechnic institute and the United States department of
agriculture, and providing for co-ordination of certain agricultural
activities within the State of Virginia. (S. B. 176.)

Approved March 27, 1914.

1. Be it enacted bv the general assembly of Virginia, That
an act entitled an act to constitute a united agricultural board to
co-ordinate the Virginia college of argriculture and polytechnic
institute and the Virginia agricultural experiment station, the com-
missioner and the State board of agriculture and the State board of
education, in co-operation with the United States department of
agriculture for the betterment of agricultural, experimental and
demonstration work, and generally to advance the agricultural in-
terests of this State, and to authorize the boards of supervisors to
appropriate county funds for experimental and demonstration work
in their respective counties, as amended and re-enacted by act ap-
proved March twelfth, nineteen hundred and twelve, be repealed.
und the following enacted in lieu thereof:

Sec. 1. That any money that may be appropriated from the
general fund for the purpose of carrying out this act shall be paid
to the treasurer of Virginia agricultural and mechanical college and
polytechnic institute, to be paid by warrants with proper vouchers
attached, signed by the secretary and countersigned by the presi-
dent of said institution; but such moneys shall be used and paid
out only for the purposes hereinafter provided in this act. An
itemized statement, with proper vouchers, for disbursements of such
funds, shall be reported to the governor each year, and examined
by the public accountants and at all times be subject to the inspec-
tion of the legislature or any of its committees.

Sec. 2. The said funds shall be used by the Virginia agricul-
tural and mechanical college and polytechnic institute for the pur-
pose of conducting demonstration work in the State of Virginia or
in the several counties therein, so far as said funds will permit, as
far as possible in connection and co-operation with the United
States department of agriculture. The said fund may be used in
the payment of salaries and necessary traveling expenses and other
incidental expenses of State, district or local or county agents en-
gaged in the said co-operative demonstration work, the object of
which shall be to instruct farmers in improved methods of agri-
culture, embracing all crops made in the State, improved methods
of horticulture, stock raising, and everything for the advancement
of the agricultural interests of the State, by conducting demon-
strations on farms, instructing and advising farmers on all tech-
nical agricultural subjects, and in all possible ways assisting them
by carrying information from the agricultural college, the experi-
ment stations and all other sources to the farmer.

Sec. 3. It shall be the duty of the Virginia agricultural and
mechanical college and polytechnic institute, in co-operation with
the United States department of agriculture, to exercise great care
in the selection of demonstrators or county agents qualified to do
the work, and to supervise their work and see that it is properly
done through the State and district agents, and the said demon-
strators or county agents may be authorized and required to assist
farmers in every possible way by teaching and demonstrating to
them improved agricultural methods, and advising them on agri-
cultural methods, and all under such rules and regulations as may
be adopted by the Virginia agricultural and mechanical college and
polytechnic institute in its co-operative relation to the United States
department of agriculture. The said county agents may be author-
ized to conduct boys’ demonstration clubs and assist in the organi-
zation and conducting of girls’ canning clubs, if deemed wise by
the Virginia agricultural and mechanical college and polytechnic
institute, and in such work the State board of education is hereby
authorized to make such co-operative arrangements with the presi-
dent of the Virginia agricultural and mechanical college and poly-
technic institute as it may deem wise for co-ordination for such
work with the county schools of the State.

Sec. 4. The board of supervisors of the several counties of the
State are hereby authorized and empowered to appropriate out of
the county funds for the support of such demonstration work in
their respective counties such sums as the said boards may deem
proper, the sums so appropriated to be used in co-operation with
the Virginia agricultural and mechanical college and polytechnic
institute, in paying the salary and expenses of demonstrator or
county agent in the county; the appropriation to be supplemented
by a sum or sums to be paid out of the funds above appropriated
to the Virginia agricultural and mechanical college and polytech-
nic institute, and such funds as may be furnished by the United
States department of agriculture, or which may be allotted from
funds under its control, devoted to such co-operative work in the
State of Virginia, as may be agreed upon. Any sums so appro-
priated by any county shall be paid out to the person selected te
be the agricultural demonstrator or county agent in said county,
in monthly payments, on vouchers to be approved by the State
agent in charge of demonstration work in the State of Virginia,
and countersigned by the president of said institution.

Sec. 5. The provisions of this act are in anticipation of the
passage of an act by the United States Congress, providing money
for work of similar character within the several States, through
the agricultural colleges receiving the benefit of the land grant, and
upon the passage of any such act requiring the States to make
an equal appropriation, the appropriations hereby made are de-
clared to be an acceptance of the provisions of said act and the
appropriation of money on the part of the Commonwealth of Vir-
ginia to meet funds allotted to this State from any such appro-
priation.

Sec. 6. The governor of the State of Virginia is hereby author-
ized, at his discretion, to call together for conference, the president
of the Virginia agricultural and mechanical college and polytech-
nic institute, the State commissioner of agriculture, the president of
the State board of agriculture, the State superintendent of public
instruction, the director of the experiment station at the Virginia
agricultural and mechanical college and polytechnic institute, and
the State agent in charge of the farm demonstration work, as out-
lined in this bill, and he may also request the attendance of such
officers of the United States department of agriculture as may be
particularly interested in the agriculture of the State of Virginia.
‘At such conference the various forces may consider how their ac-
tivities may be co-ordinated so as to avoid duplication, and how
each may assist the other in field work so as to bring the best
possible results. Each of the organizations represented is hereby
authorized to enter into proper co-operative relationships with other
agricultural activities within the State of Virginia as they deem
best. At such conferences the governor shall preside. The object
of such conference shall be a united co-operative effort. for the bet-
terment of agricultural conditions in the State of Virginia.

Sec. 7. Any balance in the hands or under the control of the
united agricultural board, when this act shall take effect, shall pass
to the credit of the Virginia agricultural and mechanical college
and polytechnic institute and be disbursed as required by this act.