38 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRIOULTTTRE. 



In response to a widespread popular request for war exhibits at 

 the larger fairs, the Secretary of Agriculture, on April 5, 1918, 

 addressed a communication to the Secretaries of War, Navy, Interior, 

 and Commerce Departments, and to the Food Administration, and 

 invited a conference of representatives from those Departments to 

 work out, with officers of the Department of Agriculture, a co- 

 ordinated plan of action. This resulted in the formation of a Joint 

 Committee on Government Exhibits, composed of representatives 

 from each of the Departments named. The expert on exhibits of 

 this Department was made chairman of the committee. A plan was 

 evolved and executed to send an impressive joint Government ex- 

 hibit to 37 State and other fairs and expositions. It is believed 

 that this exhibit was of the highest value in educating and stimulat- 

 ing the people to greater industrial activities, to larger agricultural 

 production, and to a broader and deeper appreciation of their 

 country and Government. 



MOTION PICTURES. 



The dissemination of information by means of motion pictures, 

 which hitherto has been conducted only on an experimental basis, 

 was, by action of Congress, given a definite allotment of funds, which 

 enabled the Department to undertake the systematic development of 

 this activity. Films prepared in the Department's laboratory 

 were used very effectively in connection with its efforts to recruit 

 farm labor, encourage the preservation of perishable fruits and 

 vegetables, prevent forest fires, and stimulate agricultural produc- 

 tion. They were shown, through the extension service, to approx- 

 imately 500,000 people at demonstration meetings, county and State 

 fairs, schools, churches, and municipal gatherings, and, by arrange- 

 ment with one of the commercial companies, to about 4,000,000 people 

 at motion-picture theaters. The film companies actively cooperated 

 with the Department and rendered valuable assistance by placing 

 information and appeals of an emergency character before the pa- 

 trons of the theaters served by them. 



PURCHASE AND DISTRIBUTION OF NITRATE OP SODA. 



The food control act, which authorized the President to procure 

 and sell nitrate of soda to farmers at cost for the purpose of increas- 

 ing production, appropriated $10,000,000 for that purpose. By direc- 



