EEPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. 53 



cane sirup on the farms, and directions showing how the quahty 

 of the product could be improved were distributed to farmers. 



Work on methods for profitably utilizing cull and surplus oranges 

 and lemons has been done. Investigations in previous years helped 

 to establish industries manufacturing useful products from oranges 

 and lemons that otherwise would go to waste. In the last (fiscal) 

 year effort has been directed toward perfecting methods for the 

 commercial production of pectin from waste orange and lemon peel. 

 Pectins produced by various methods have been standardized as to 

 their jellying power, and work has been done on the production of 

 jellies of different consistency. Attention has been given to the 

 preparation of marmalades and jellies from dehydrated oranges. 

 As a result of the studies on the production of pectin, new methods 

 for the preparation of marmalade and orange butter have been 

 evolved. 



A method for determining the degree of maturity of cantaloupes, 

 depending upon the sugar and solids content of the fruit, was de- 

 veloped by the Bureau of Chemistry and used with gratifying results 

 by growers and shippers of cantaloupes. A criterion of maturity for 

 selecting the time to pick melons has long been sought by melon 

 growers. 



THE EXTENSION SERVICE. 



There was noteworthy progress during the year toward the adjust- 

 ment of the cooperative extension work of the department to new con- 

 ditions, with a view to its functioning under the supervision of a 

 director of extension work, as provided for by act of Congress. The 

 effort has been to unify the work for the men, women, and boys and 

 girls on the farms and to enlist all extension agents in the promotion 

 of the enterprise as a whole. Probably the most marked develop- 

 ment in the extension work during the past year was the increased 

 emphasis given to the development of unified farm and home exten- 

 sion programs based upon the actual needs and interests of each com- 

 munity. 



Approximately 4,670 persons are now employed in the cooperative 

 extension service in agriculture and home economics carried on by 

 the department in cooperation with the State agricultural colleges. 

 About 2,100 counties have agricultural agents, 840 have home-demon- 

 stration agents, and 160 have agents working exclusively with farm 



