has greatly increased and during the past two years 800,000 tree
seedlings have been planted annually. Considerable progress has
been made in timber stand improvement, and a market has been
developed for low-grade timber, which heretofore has been worthless
except for fuel wood. Assistance is given farmers in selective cutting
and marketing of merchantable timber. A timber growers association
is in the process of formation, and the members will agree to cut
timber selectively for the next 20 years. Cooperators in this program
are expected to realize approximately $3.00 per acre increase per
year from their timber lands.
5. Assistance in finding new farms was given to 371 farm families
directly affected by acquisition of land for the Kentucky reservoir.
These families were helped in re-establishing their farming activities
on the new farms. Several hundred other families who were affected
by loss of part of their land, but who did not have to move, were
assisted in adjusting to new farming conditions on the uplands. An
additional assistant county agent and an additional assistant home
agent were made available through TVA funds to assist families with
relocation and adjustment problems.
6. In cooperation with the Tennessee Valley Authority and the
United States Fish and Wildlife Service assistance was given in devel-
oping a wildlife refuge area on the border of Kentucky Lake. The
Soil Erosion Control Association handled the land rental program
in this area, whereby food is grown for migratory wild fowl and other
wildlife. Provision is being made for demonstration plots of lespedeza
bicolor for wildlife food.
7. During the adjustment period following the filling of the
Kentucky reservoir the Soil Erosion Control Association handled
the licensing of Tennessee Valley Authority owned lands in order
to make the best use of this land in the adjustment of the agriculture
of the county.
Since 1935, the soils of Benton County, have been improved; new
crops such as white clover, red clover, improved permanent pasture,
and other quality sod crops introduced; improved systems of farming
developed; and agricultural income increased. The cash income in
Benton County from crops and livestock in 1940 was $415,000 as
compared with $857,000 in 1945, an increase of more than 100 per-
cent. During this period prices of these products increased by about
90 percent. Since the increased income is not fully accounted for by
price increases, the value of agricultural products sold in 1945 was
somewhat greater than in 1940. This improvement has occurred dur-
ing a period when Benton County lost approximately one-third of
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