EEPORT OF THE SECRETARY OP AGRICULTURE. 53 



greatly expanded in a number of directions. Especially striking has 

 been the development of the extension forces, including the county 

 agents, the control and eradication of animal diseases, and the Mar- 

 ket News Services. Many trained men and women have been engaged 

 in these tasks. It is highly desirable that provision should continue 

 for these and other emergency undertakings during the remainder 

 of this fiscal year. Indications from every part of the Union are that 

 the efforts of the agricultural colleges and the Department in emer- 

 gency directions have been fruitful and are appreciated by the great 

 masses of the farmers. 



The question arises also whether it would not be in the national 

 interest to make provision for the continuance of a part of the work, 

 at least, after the end of this fiscal year. The work of the Bureau of 

 Markets, especially through its news services, has been demonstrated 

 to be so useful that, regarding it as of permanent value, I have trans- 

 ferred the emergency estimates for it, in part, to the regular bill. 

 The Nation is now engaged, under tY.e act of May 8, 1914, in develop- 

 ing the agricultural extension service. It would be wise to anticipate 

 the amount that would accrue under this measure by the end of the 

 period 1922 and to make such further provision as may be neces- 

 sary for the continuance of agents of proved efficiency already on 

 the rolls, as well as to continue the intensive work for the more 

 speedy control and eradication of tuberculosis, hog cholera, and 

 the cattle tick, and other important lines of effort. Expenditures 

 for these activities are investments, and it is simply a question how 

 rapidly the Nation wishes the work to proceed. If the finances of 

 the Nation permit it, I urgently recommend that adequate provision 

 be continued. 



RURAL HEALTH AND SANITATION. 



Every means should be adopted to see to it that the benefits of 

 modern medicine accrue more largely to the scattered populations of 

 the rural districts. Formerly the urban communities were character- 

 istically the homes of disease. They possessed all the disadvantages 

 of concentration of population without adequate sanitary safeguards. 

 Now no cities and very few of the larger towns are without substan- 

 tial equipment in the way of drainage, sewage disposal, and hos- 

 pitals. They have the services of specialists and of trained nurses. 

 Very many of them provide free medical and dental clinics for 

 people of limited means, have their schools inspected, and their 



