EBPOET OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. 79 



section as a part of the larger field. Frequently recurring seed 

 loans are not a solution of the problem; this lies rather in a change 

 in the type of agriculture and farm organization. 



War prices, propaganda urging increased food production, and 

 local desire for the development of unused resources have brought 

 about the reclamation by irrigation and drainage of large areas of 

 land on some of which it is being found difficult to repay the cost 

 of reclamation. Effort has been made during the past year to coor- 

 dinate the policy of the Reclamation Service with the studies of this 

 department in directing land utilization and settlement. The Secre- 

 tary of the Interior has recognized the desirability of obtaining the 

 judgment of the Department of Agriculture concerning the agro- 

 nomic and economic feasibility of proposed reclamation projects and 

 has referred such projects to this department for consideration. 



Tenancy on farm lands has been increasing. Studies of the ex- 

 tent of tenancy and of the various forms of contract under which 

 tenants operate have been made with a view to promoting farm 

 ownership and the use of equitable forms of rental agreements. 



Farm credits are based primarily on land values. The proper 

 appraisal of farm lands is of great importance in order that the 

 farmer may obtain the credit to which he is entitled and at the 

 same time that credit agencies may have adequate security. During 

 the year much attention has been given to a determination of the 

 influence of the various factors affecting land values as a basis for 

 developing scientific methods of appraisal. 



It is hoped that the report of this departmental land committee 

 will be ready for inclusion in the Yearbook of the department for 

 1923, and it is expected that this Yearbook will be available for 

 distribution early in the spring of 1924. 



HOUSING SITrATION. 



In previous reports I have called attention to the unsatisfactory 

 housing of the department and have recommended a building pro- 

 gram to meet this situation. It has not yet been possible, however, to 

 secure an appropriation to begin work on this program. Concentra- 

 tion into fewer and larger buildings of a more suitable character 

 than the existing widely scattered structures, providing proper hous- 

 ing for i^resent activities, is the most important need of the depart- 



