380 ANNUAL, REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



547,779 farmers tested seed and 10,605,894 acres were planted with 

 tested seed. Reports from agents indicated a stand of corn much 

 above the average in 1918. The seed selecting campaign was renewed 

 in the fall of 1918 and resulted in the field selection of 4,718,691 

 bushels of seed. The connty agents reported a total increased pro- 

 duction of nearl}^ 13,000,000 bushels as the result of all campaigns 

 incident to corn. 



Oats, — Ninety-seven thousand nine hundred and eighty-three 

 farmers treated seed oats for smut following the agents' directions, 

 and the total acreage seeded with treated seed amounted to nearly 

 2,000,000 acres. The increased net profit due to seed treatment aver- 

 aged about $2 per acre on several thousand demonstration fields 

 where careful records Avere kept. 



Ho:me AND coiMMUNiTY GARDENS. — Work in connection with home 

 and community gardens was carried on in both town and country. 

 More than 225,000 families were given direct assistance in connection 

 with home gardens. No estimate is possible of the value of the in- 

 creased food supply. As a by-produ-t of these campaigns, however, 

 3,588.070 quarts oi fruits and vegetables were canned and 753.389 

 pounds dried. The agents conducted 6,894 canning demonstrations 

 and furnished information to 149,282 families in regard to storing 

 fruits and vegetables. 



T.IVE STOCK WORK. 



Assistance in sanitation and demonstration of disease control 

 methods continued a prominent phase of the work Avith live stock. 

 The work w'as done wherever possible in cooperation with local vet- 

 erinarians and State and Federal control agencies, the county agent's 

 part being to demonstrate the usefulness and helpfulness of approved 

 methods. These demonstrations involved the testing of 55,962 ani- 

 mals for tuberculosis, and the vaccination of 380,264 animals for 

 blackleg and 523,189 hogs for cholera. 



FARM BUSINESS. 



Seventeen thousand eight hundred and thirty-five farmers kept 

 records of their business on blanks furnished by the State farm man- 

 agement demonstrators. The county agents assisted 6,860 of these in 

 closing their accounts. Profitable cluiiigos in their farm management 

 were made by 3,444 farmers as a result of records kept. 



The county agents assisted in the organization of a large number 

 of cooperative associations for buying farm supplies and selling 

 farm products, and by cooperating Avith groups of farmers and other 

 agencies in determining the cooperative enterprises needed and ob- 

 taining the expert attention necessary to put the enterprises on a 

 sound business basis. The associations are followed up from year 

 to year in an effort to prevent the mistakes which so often cause 

 failure, of such enterprises. The total value of cooperative business 

 of farmers' exchanges and cooperative associations organized by 

 county agents in this and preceding years amounted to $41,877,783. 

 The saving effected amounted to more than $4,500,000. Three hun- 

 dred and thirty-two Federal fann loan associations Avere organized 

 by agents and 19.312 farmers Avere assisted in securing credit for the 

 purchase of seeds, machinery, fertilizers, and other supplies. The 



