374 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Besides the millions of home gardens, 91,000 demonstrations of 

 ^vinter and perennial gardens were established and conducted by 

 vromen and girls to illustrate all-the-year-round food production. 



It is difficult to say what proportion of the emergency work should 

 be credited to the girls and what proportion to the women, but it is 

 probable that about one-third of the emergency canning should be 

 credited to the girls. In. no other year in the histor}- of the work in 

 the South has so much been done along this line, and the results are 

 to be attributed to the enthusiasm and energy of the agents and to 

 the wonderful organization and devotion of the women and girls 

 who contributed toward these results. 



Tlie woi'k in home drying of fruits and vegetables for future use 

 initiated in 1917, oAving to the scarcitv of cans, ad^■anced verv ma- 

 terially during the season of 1918. The total amount of dried fruits 

 and vegetables prepared and stored was 8,932,787 pounds, estimated 

 to be A\"orth $1,846,625.56. The women established 131 central plants 

 for community drjdng. 



The results in brining and pickling were beyond expectations, 

 about 1,006,222 gallons of vegetables, valued at $382,808.73 having 

 been preserved and saved. Eural women in the regular enrollment 

 put up 336,872 gallons, and in the emergency enrollment 447,292 gal- 

 lons. The balance was put up by the girls and a small amount by 

 the negro enrollment. 



The agents' reports show that the women enrolled in the work in 

 1918 produced 16,507,711 pounds of butter and 939,603 pounds of 

 cottage cheese. A considerable proportion of this butter was sold 

 locally and brought an average of 17 cents per pound above the 

 market price for ordinar.y butter. 



During the year 1918 there were organized 173 egg circles and 211 

 cooperative j^oultry breeding associations. Through these organiza- 

 tions approximately 1,592,357 chickens were raised and 575,593 dozens 

 of eggs marketed cooperatively and 198,-127 dozens individualh'. The 

 value of the eggs marketed was a little oA^er $300,000. They mar- 

 keted 1,148,738 pounds of poultry, A'alued at $311,558.82. The agents 

 also report 130,297 dozens of eggs preserved in w^aterglass. 



The home demonstration agents worked in close cooperation Avith 

 the Food Administration in the conservation of Avheat, meat, sugar, 

 and fats, and deserve a fair share of the creclit for the success of this 

 campaign. 



In addition to these lines of work, household conveniences, laboi-- 

 saving devices, and equipment of various kinds were placed in thou- 

 sands of homes, farm women and girls AAcre assisted in the conserva- 

 tion of clothing, and mauA^ other things Avere done to improve the 

 health, beautify the home, and make country life more attractive. 



BOYS' AGRICULTURAL CLUBS. 



Tl.K^ boA's' agricultural club work sur])assed all previous records. 

 Stimulated b}' a spirit of patriotism and assisted by the emergency 

 appropriation, the boys' club enrollment increased from 115,716 in 

 1917 to 407,540 in 1918, including the emergency members. The 

 gi;ind total production of the clubs, including emergency moml)ors 

 and farm makers' clubs for negro boys, Avas $12,031,271.27. The 



