570 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



The organization of the counties for extension work was pushed 

 forward very rapidly until over 2,400 counties had agricultural 

 agents and about 1,700 counties and 200 cities had home demonstration 

 agents. About 2,000,000 boys and girls were enrolled in clubs. The 

 agents and clerks with headquarters at the colleges and the depart- 

 ment were also greatly increased in number. At one time about 

 7,000 persons were carried on the rolls of the States Relations Serv- 

 ice. The employment of so many people, many of whom were un- 

 familiar with the requirements and restrictions of Government serv- 

 ice, made the duties of administrative officers very difficult and 

 burdensome. However, the patriotic spirit and earnest purpose 

 which pervaded the extension force throughout the country enabled 

 it to do a great work in aiding the farmers to produce greater crops 

 than ever before and our people generally to conserve their food 

 supply. 



To accomplish this task it was necessary to organize the farming 

 people more thoroughly. The extension forces, therefore, were very 

 active in promoting the older organizations and forming new ones. 

 In the Northern and Western States farm bureaus were organized 

 in a large number of counties. This had unexpected results after 

 the war, when economic conditions aroused the farmers to the im- 

 portance of cooperative marketing and of legislation pertaining 

 to agricultural affairs. The county farm bureaus expanded their 

 work beyond the educational field and formed State and National 

 federations. This movement has spread into almost all the States 

 and has resulted in one of the strongest and most influential of our 

 farm organizations. It has made necessary a readjustment of the 

 relations of the extension forces to the farm bureaus in order that 

 the extension work may remain an educational enterprise. 



In a broader way the period since the war has been a time of reor- 

 ganization and readjustment of the extension work and forces to meet 

 new conditions. When the war emergency funds were withdrawn 

 the number of extension workers was materially decreased, while at 

 the same time the expense of the work greatly increased and the 

 economic status of the farming people became very difficult and de- 

 pressing. In spite of these conditions the interest of the people in 

 the extension work remained strong, and during the past year the 

 number of county extension agents has begun to increase again. 



The emphasis in the agricultural work shifted from production to 

 economics, particularly cooperative marketing. Much has been ac- 

 complished in this direction and the extension forces have had a 

 considerable share in bringing this about. It is now becoming clearer 

 that successful and economic production is after all the farmer's 

 greatest problem and the best foundation for successful cooperation 

 in marketing. Undoubtedly greater relative importance will be at- 

 tached to work on production in future extension enterprises. 



The boys' and girls' club work, as a preparation for successful 

 rural life and leadership in rural affairs, is attracting wider at- 

 tention, and the number of young people enrolled in this work has 

 materially increased during the past year. 



The task of adjusting the extension work among the farm women 

 to the conditions actually prevailing in the farm home and rural 

 community has in many localities been quite difficult. "Wliile the 

 extent and usefulness of that work is large in the aggregate, it has 



