558 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



ative sales, many of which comprised one or more carloads of live 

 stock. One of these sales involved 417 head of cattle, which, it is 

 ■stated, were sold for $2,508.97 more than they would have brouf^ht 

 had their oAvners placed them on the market individually on the day 

 of the sale. Assistance in organization or grading w^as given to 166 

 wool pools, which handled over 10,000,000 pounds of wool. Coopera- 

 tive enterprises in three States were given assistance in solving their 

 accounting problems. 



Instructions as to the most successful practices for marketing sweet 

 potatoes were given to producers and shippers in most of the 

 Southern States and in one of the far Western States. In one State 

 plans and specifications for sweet-potato storage houses were fur- 

 nished, and 53 storage houses based on these plans and specifications 

 were erected. 



Exhibits illustrating approved marketing practices were made in 

 six States. Assistance was given to State agencies in instituting local 

 market reporting services. The collection and distribution of infor- 

 mation relative to quantity, quality, and prices of locally-grown 

 produce was arranged for at 11 points in -i States. 



Nearly 200 demonstrations of approved practices of preparing 

 farm products for market Avere made and over 700 lectures bearing 

 upon the packing, grading, handling, storage, and sale of farm procf 

 ucts and other matters were given. 



In a number of States the field agents, through State agencies, were 

 instrumental in bringing about the adoption of Federal standards 

 for farm products and containers. In all States assistance was given 

 to the county agricultural agents in solving difficult local marketing 

 problems. 



This work was supervised by Mr. C. W. Thompson until his death 

 on February 2, 1920, since which time Mr. R. H. Elsworth, who was 

 in immediate charge of the work in the Northern and Western States, 

 has acted as project leader. Mr. G. O. Gatlin immediately directs the 

 work in the Southern States. 



FOREIGN MARKETING. 



In the spring of 1920, Mr. W. R. Sibley, who succeeded Mr. C. W. 

 Moomaw as leader of this project, resigned and Mr. E. G. Mont- 

 gomery was placed in charge of our foreign marketing investigations. 

 The leader of this project, aside from his regular duties, represents 

 the Department of Agriculture on the Economic Liaison Committee 

 at the State Department, w^hich is designed to coordinate the efforts 

 of the various agencies of the Government so far as they are con- 

 cerned with foreign trade, to prevent overlapping and duplication, 

 and to provide a means for a helpful interchange of views. 



In the first part of this report will be found a rather full discus- 

 sion of an expedition which the bureau sent to South America in 

 June, 1919, and of the work of the agricultural commissioner who 

 has been maintained in London since May, 1919. The expedition to 

 South America was led by Mr. David Harrell, a live-stock breeder of 

 standing and experience, and representative of the United States 

 War Trade Board at Barcelona, Spain, from November, 1917, to 

 January, 1919. 



