470 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



and the members learn to <j:rade and pack their eggs carefully in 

 standardized cartons. By cooperative shipping and marketing, bet- 

 tor m;irkots and bettor pricop are secured. Tlie -women themselves, 

 morooAcr, are rapidly being trained in up-to-date business methods. 



Curb markets have been established in many towns, providing op- 

 portunity for the rural women to bring in their butter, eggs, poultry, 

 fresh fruits, and vegetables, and receive for them better prices than 

 jL'Ould be obtained nearer home. 



Numbers of rest rooms have been established, especially at the 

 county seats or in the larger business centers. The rest room has 

 frequently demonstrated the need for a demonstration or community 

 kitchen. 



PUKPOSE AND PLAN OF HOME-DEMONSTKATION WORK. 



The object of home-demonstration work is the fullest and finest 

 development of Avomen and girls through the use of all of the many 

 resources of the farm and the farm community. The largest possible 

 number of rural home makers receive direct assistance in problems 

 of production, conservation, and utilization of food, and in the 

 preservation of health and prevention of disease ; marketing of home- 

 grown products ; making, purchasing, and using labor-saving equip- 

 ment ; home management ; child welfare ; selection, making, and con- 

 servation of clothing; beautifying the home buildings and grounds; 

 developing of community enterprises, including canneries, drying 

 plants, curb markets, rest rooms, etc. 



Considerable attention has been given to social enjoyment and 

 recreation, as well as to general improvement of conditions in the 

 community. It has been found most desirable to follow a well-defined 

 program, but all along the line home-demonstration agents find hun- 

 dreds of opportunities to give advice and make suggestions which 

 lead to better living. 



BESUXTS. 



During the last year the 15 Southern States had 20,323 clubs of 

 rural girls and women, with an enrollment of almost 500,000 members. 

 Of these, 8,396 were girls' garden and canning clubs, with a mem- 

 bership of 179,913 ; 5,102 were women's home-demonstration clubs, 

 with an enrollment of 93,562 members: 947 were clubs for negro 

 girls, with an enrollment of 33.944; 1.047 were clubs for rural negro 

 women, with a membership of 38.036. There were in addition 5,496 

 poultry cluljs for girls, with an enrollment of 47,701 members; 1.114 

 poultry clubs for women, with a membership of 23,015 ; 2,146 girls 

 and 6,829 women enrolled in butter making; 3,567 girls and 7,272 

 women enrolled in cottage-cheese making; 43.199 women and girls 

 were enrolled for special demonstrations in the introduction of new 

 fruits and vegetables; and 1.490 negro girls and women doing special 

 work in poultry. 



Owing to the'cutting off, July 1. 1919, of the emergen y appropria- 

 tion, practically all urban work had to be abandoned, and in many 

 cases assistant countj^ home-demonstration agents were dropped from 

 the rolls or transferred to se]3arate counties. Unorganized counties 

 which during the war had had the benefit of help of emergency 

 agents were left without any one Avhen these special funds were with- 



