STATES RELATIONS SERVICE. 



445 



HOME-DEMONSTRATION WORK. 



The number of county home-demonstration agents increased sub- 

 stantially during the year, indicating an increasing appreciation of 

 the services of these agents. On June 30, 1922, there were 767 county 

 home-demonstration agents as compared with 713 on the same date 

 in 1921. In addition there were 12 assistant agents and 122 State 

 supervisors and assistant State supervisors of home-demonstration 

 work as well as 104 negro home-demonstration agents employed to 

 work with negro women. 



ORGANIZATION OF THE WOBK. 



As in county agricultural-agent work, the value of organized 

 effort is equally apparent in home-demonstration work. In order 

 that the same effort may effectively reach more farm homes, the 

 home-demonstration agents are devoting more and more time to the 

 conducting of practical object lessons that may be observed and 

 copied by a large number of people, and to the training of voluntary 

 local leaders who will assist in forwarding local extension programs. 

 There was considerable progress during the year in making home- 

 demonstration programs more definite and better adapted to the 

 needs of the various counties and communities. 



GENERAL ACTIVITIES. 



In connection with their work, the home-demonstration agents 

 made personal visits to 168,204 homes to give advice, render assist- 

 ance, or observe the progress of demonstrations. In connection with 

 this work 402,638 office consultations were held by the agents, who 

 also wrote 904,582 individual letters answering requests for informa- 

 tion. It is estimated that as a result of the activities of the agents 

 689.952 new home practices were adopted by nearly as many farm 

 homes. 



FOOD PRESERVATION. 



Food preservation, including canning, drying, brining, and storing 

 of vegetables, fruits, and meats, continued to be a very important 

 phase of home-demonstration work. The number of adult demon- 

 strations and the number of cases of adoption of the practices 

 demonstrated are given in the following table : 



• Demonstrations in food preservation. 



Kind of demonstration. 



Vegetables and fruits: 



Canning 



Drying 



Brining 



Storing 



Meat 



Total 



Number of Number 

 demonstra- adopting new 

 tioQS. j practices. 



67,005 



109,534 

 20,392 

 14, 745 

 14,499 

 25,065 



184,235 



