STATES RELATIONS SERVICE. 339 



There was a marked increase in the work connected with the col- 

 lection and preparation of illustrative material for the use of em- 

 ployees and collaborators of the service. The carefully selected col- 

 lection of photographs secured from the various bureaus of the de- 

 partment and from field workers of the service was supplemented by 

 a considerable number of photographs taken either by our own force 

 or in cooperation with the Division of Publications. The collection 

 now contains about 9,000 photographs, of which about 7,500 are 

 mounted, classified, and catalogued for ready use. Over 2,000 new 

 photographs were added during the year. The total number of 

 lantern slides made was 9,740, of which 2,466 were colored. 



In addition to cooperating with other offices of the service in secur- 

 ing suitable illustrative material for their work, the division organ- 

 ized several series of lantern slides for special purposes. With a view 

 to aiding the emergency extension work, the preparation of several 

 series of slides was undertaken, as, for example, on wheat, corn, pork, 

 and alfalfa production. These slides are especially intended for the 

 use of extension specialists, county agents, or other workers cooperat- 

 ing or collaborating with the service who are already familiar with 

 the subject matter and desire a number of good illustrations to rein- 

 force their talks or lectures. It is the purpose to develop in this way 

 a flexible collection of slides that will meet a large variety of local 

 needs and conditions. 



The division is making a special feature of lantern-slide color 

 work, the colorists employed being given opportunity whenever pos- 

 sible to study at first hand the natural coloring of the subject matter 

 with which they deal. As a result their work is of unusually high 

 quality. In addition to the coloring of lantern slides, some attention 

 is being given to the coloring of bromide enlargements. 



About 800 shipments, aggregating 32,000 slides, were made to 

 users of the slides within the service or to schools collaborating with 

 the service, and to a very limited extent to others. A limited number 

 of charts were made for the use of the various offices of the service. 



The force of the division was increased during the year by the ap- 

 pointment of a specialist in visual instruction, to have charge of the 

 work relating to illustrative material, and an additional lantern-slide 

 colorist. 



INVESTIGATIONS ON AGRICULTURAL INSTRUCTION IN SCHOOLS. 



AxviN DiLLE, Acting in charge. 



These investigations dealt as heretofore with methods and subject 

 matter of instruction in agriculture, especially in secondary and ele- 

 mentary rural schools. 



Increased demands developed during the year out of the war situ- 

 ation, and as a result of quickened interest in agricultural educa- 

 tion. The situation created by the war was reflected in the topics 

 selected for publication. The bulletins, documents, and leaflets which 

 dealt with pork production, increase of food production, food utiliza- 

 tion, etc., were given the right of way and as much as possible was 

 done to show teachers how to make their school work in agriculture 

 and home economics serve the present needs of the country. 



Two bulletins' for teachers of agriculture in secondary schools, one 

 on Courses in Secondary Agriculture for Southern Schools (Third 



