28 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



regional and national, and officials of the various State horticultural 

 agricultural, and quarantine agencies. In addition, there were many 

 individuals interested in horticulture, as well as delegates from Eng- 

 land, Holland, Belgium, and France. This conference was helpful in 

 making clear the conditions which led to the establishment and en- 

 forcement of the quarantine, and many who have been very critical 

 found reason to modify their view^ and their criticism. While from 

 time to time it may be possible to make changes which will render 

 this quarantine less burdensome and annoying, the need for it seems 

 very clear. Most of our damaging insect pests have come with im- 

 ported foreign plants. Even on the plants which were permitted 

 entry under the quarantine during the last fiscal year there were 

 intercepted about 500 different species of insect pests and also a con- 

 siderable number of plant diseases. 



PROPOSED BUREAU OF HOME ECONOMICS. 



In the budget submitted for the coming fiscal year congressional 

 authority is asked to create a bureau of home economics as one of 

 the scientific bureaus of the department. The work in home eco- 

 nomics was established in connection with the States Relations 

 Service, and its development has been largely for the purpose of 

 furnishing information and assistance to extension workers. The 

 establishment of a separate bureau of home economics with a tech- 

 nically trained and experienced woman as chief should enable us to 

 extend our work in that field and render better service to the workers 

 in the farm home and rural community. Properly extended, the 

 work in home economics is so broad that it embraces relationships 

 with nearly all the fundamental sciences. For example, different 

 phases of nutrition work are already under consideration in three 

 different bureaus, work with textiles in two bureaus, household 

 equipment in one, household management in another, while work in 

 dietetics, foods, cooking, clothing, and household decoration already 

 is organized in our economics department. With the organization of 

 a bureau of home economics it will not be difficult to bring about co- 

 ordination and cooperation of the work already being carried on and 

 to begin research in new fields which must be explored scientifically 

 if the department is to render the greatest service to the home maker. 



