492 AISTNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



It would not have been possible to secure the distribution that has 

 been made liad it not been for the cordial cooperation of the various 

 State agencies. In Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin intensive 

 campaigns were organized by the cooperating agencies to promote the 

 use of picric acid by landowners who had need of it in connection 

 with clearing stumps from their lands. In these States there has been 

 an etfort to clear more land on farms where the acreage was either 

 too small to make the farmers self-supporting or was so obstructed 

 b}'' stumps and stones as to prevent the use of modern farm machin- 

 ery. Since the distribution of picric acid was begun, approximately 

 25,000 farmers in Wisconsin have cleared 125,000 acres of new land 

 and have finished clearing 25,000 acres of partly cleared land at an 

 estimated saving of $400,000 through the use of picric acid instead 

 of commercial explosives. The distribution has been general over the 

 entire State, and orders for picric acid have been received from 67 

 of the 71 counties of the State. The bulk of the picric acid used in 

 Wisconsin has, of course, been on the cut-over sections, but there has 

 also been a considerable amount of it used in the southern part of the 

 State, where the farms are older and generally better improved. 



Since the distribution was begun in Michigan, 4,640 farmers have 

 cleared 31,000 acres of cut-over lands and have removed the remain- 

 ing stumps from 18,000 acres of cultivated lands at an estimated sav- 

 ing of $93,786. The specialist in charge of the work in Michigan 

 states that 100 per cent more land was put in cultivation in the cut- 

 over areas than there would have been if no war salvage explosives 

 had been used. Wlien it is realized that the bulk of the work was 

 done on farms with less than 20 acres cleared, its value in making the 

 farmers on these farms self-supporting becomes more apparent. 



In Minnesota a vigorous and successful campaign has accomplished 

 a great deal, but, unfortunately, the report of their activities has not 

 been received. 



North Carolina, through the State agricultural college, has con- 

 ducted a campaign to have the farmers of that State clear the stumps 

 from their cultivated fields. Since the work was started in the State 

 637 farmers have removed the stumps from approximately 6,000 

 acres of cultivated land at an estimated saving of $34,500 by the use 

 of picric acid instead of commercial explosives. 



In Tennessee 200 farmers have cleared 4,000 acres of cut-over land 

 and removed the stumps from 2,000 acres of cultivated lands and 

 have constructed approximately 55 miles of drainage ditches. It is 

 estimated that by buying picric acid instead of commercial dynamite 

 a saving of $8,000 was effected. 



In Kentucky 115 farmers have cleared the stumps from 4,253 acres 

 of cut-over and cultivated lands. 



In other States the distribution of surplus war explosives accom- 

 plished somewhat similar results. The distribution of this picric 

 acid has been helpful in many ways. In the Lake States it has served 

 to stimulate the general land-clearing program which has been car- 

 ried on in these States and which has for its purpose the clearing of 

 more acres on farms which at present are being operated inefficiently 

 or at a loss either on account of too small acreage or the attempt to 

 farm lands where stones or stumps prevent the use of modern ma- 

 chinery and methods. It has also been very helpful in educating the 

 farmers, pursuading them to improve conditions on their lands, and 



