150 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



in this work with project settlers, and very satisfactory results were 

 secured. In this work gains as high as 950 pounds of pork per acre 

 of peas were secured. Attention was also paid to other crops which 

 can be used as substitutes for the grain crops that have commonly 

 been grown for swine feeding but which at present are not looked 

 upon with favor for such use. This applies particularly to wheat, 

 which heretofore has been widely used as a hog feed on a number 

 of projects. 



THE BEEF INDUSTRY. 



The beef industry has received attention chiefly on the Minidoka, 

 Tieton, Boise, Shoshone, and Uncompahgre projects. The settlers 

 on these projects have been assisted in securing improved breeding 

 stock, in impi'oving their methods of feeding, and in the control of 

 diseases affecting beef cattle. Special attention has been paid to the 

 organization and conduct of farmers' associations for the coopera- 

 tive use of the range lands adjacent to the projects. Cooperative 

 grazing is now carried on by the settlers on the Boise, Minidoka, 

 Shoshone, and Tieton projects. The cooperative marketing of beef 

 stock was carried on successfully on a number of the projects during 

 the year. 



SHEEP PRODUCTION. 



The high prices for mutton and wool have greatly stimulated the 

 interest in sheep production by irrigation farmers. During the year 

 perhaps more interest was shown in this industry than in any other 

 live-stock industry. The chief work in connection with sheep pro- 

 duction was done on the Minidoka, Truckee-Carson, Shoshone, Boise, 

 Uncompahgre, and Huntley projects, where special attention has been 

 paid to securing breeding stock for the settlers and to the coopera- 

 tive marketing of lambs and wool. Attention has been paid to coop- 

 erative grazing on the Minidoka and Boise projects, and the settlers 

 on these projects are now cooperating in grazing five bands of sheep 

 on national forests. Good progress has been made in connection 

 with the cooperative marketing of lambs and wool, particularly on 

 the Boise, Minidoka, and Shoshone projects. 



CROP UTILIZATION. 



SWEET-POTATO STORAGE. 



In connection with the emergency work a' special campaign was 

 carried on in the fall of 1917 in the Southern States in the storing 

 and curing of sweet potatoes. The main effort was to induce the 

 growers to build suitable storage houses for sweet potatoes. As 

 nearly as can be determined, as a direct result of this campaign 166 

 storage houses, having a capacity of 700,000 bushels of sweet pota- 

 toes, were built, and 30 houses, having a capacity of 35,000 bushels, 

 were remodeled. Because of the very severe winter, during which 

 many sweet potatoes stored in banks were frozen, it is believed that 

 the storage houses, which gave adequate protection against the cold, 

 were of even greater value in conserving the crop than they would 

 have been under ordinary winter conditions. 



The experimental storage of sweet potatoes at the Arlington farm 

 was continued, 45 varieties being stored, with a loss of less than 1 

 per cent of decay in a storage period of mjore than five months. 



