BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY. 337 



to raise other crops for commercial purposes, and to produce all 

 their home supplies. Confidence has been absolutely restored, and 

 bank deposits made by farmers have been fully 25 per cent greater 

 than ever before in the history of that section. The same is largely 

 true of northern Louisiana, Avhere for the first time not only corn 

 but hogs have been shipped to outside markets. Large crops of pea- 

 nuts, cowpeas, and other forage crops have been raised. 



Tjte corn crop. — The large number of very successful demonstra- 

 tions on corn carried on by Doctor Knapp in the Southern States 

 for the past two years have resulted in a large increase of acreage in 

 the production of corn in these States. The increase in acreage in corn 

 in the eleven Southern States was 2,808.000 in 1909 over 1908, and 

 2,322,000 in 1910 over 1909. Out of 7,100 demonstrators from whom 

 accurate reports were obtained there were 23 demonstrations which 

 equaled or exceeded 100 bushels per acre in yield of corn during the 

 season of 1909, and 936 demonstrations which equaled or exceeded 

 50 bushels per acre; all this in a year when ordinarily the weather 

 conditions tended to a reduced production per acre. The confidence 

 that the people of the South have gained in their ability to produce 

 their own corn is resulting in a marked interest and increase in the 

 production of hogs and cattle, horses and mules. 



Demonstrations among negroes. — All classes of farmers in every 

 locality, without regard to color, are being instructed. It is note- 

 worthy that many of the agents in this work are instructing negro 

 demonstrators as well as whites. Work is also being done among 

 independent negro farmers in certain localities in the South where 

 the population is largelj^ made up of negroes who own their own 

 farms. In such instances a negro agent is employed who works 

 entirely among the negro farmers. Cooperation with the various 

 negro schools and colleges is maintained in all of this work. There 

 are at present three negro agents in Virginia, three in South Caro- 

 lina, one in Georgia, four in Alabama, one in IMississippi, and one in 

 Oklahoma. 



Cooperation in the work. — In addition to the funds appropriated 

 by Congress for the Farmers' Cooperative Demonstration Work, the 

 General Education Board of New York has annually appropriated 

 a liberal amount for cooperation with this Bureau. The amount so 

 appropriated has been increased from year to year by the board and 

 is being expended in the States of Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, 

 North Carolina, and Virginia, while the funds appropriated by Con- 

 gress are used in the States of Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, 

 Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, and Oklahoma. In all of the work the 

 agents employed are under the direct supervision of Doctor Knapp, 

 representing the Bureau of Plant Industry. 



So great has been the hold that the work has obtained that local 

 organizations throughout many of the Southern States are cooper- 

 ating with the Department in the exten^sion of the work. Sums of 

 money are being expended through local boards of trade, county 

 organizations, and even appropriated by state legislatures, all of 

 which is brought into direct cooperation with the work carried on by 

 the Department and is assisting the Bureau in extending the work 



73477°— AGE 1910 22 



