354 



ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



The following table shows the acreage in terms of per cent of the 

 1917 acreages for each of the Southern States for some of the prin- 

 cipal farm crops and per cent of increase in the number of live stock : 



Compo.rative acreage of crops and nnmhcr of lire stock in the South in 1918 



I Compiled from U. S. Dept. Agr., Mo. Crop Rpt., 4 (1918), Nos. 6, 7, 8. 



In the season of 1917-18 approximately 303,723 adult farmers con- 

 ducted demonstrations in one or more lines of farm work at the 

 suggestion and under the supervision of county agents. The total 

 acreage in these demonstrations was as follows : 



Corn, 799,476 acres; cotton, 501,729 acres; wheat, 156,660 acres; 

 rye, 68,769 acres; soy beans, 77,597 acres; velvet beans, 540,448 acres; 

 alfalfa, 44,526 acres; peanuts, 100,505 acres; Irish potatoes, 14,809 

 acres; sweet potatoes, 11,178 acres; miscellaneous forage crops for 

 hay, soil improvement, etc., 364.741 acres. 



Some of the miscellaneous activities of the county agents in assist- 

 ing the farmers were as follows : Pruning and spraying 635,864 trees 

 in home orchards as demonstrations to show the value of pruning 

 and spraying; conducted feeding demonstrations with 18,598 head 

 of beef cattle; brought into the territory 58,007 beef cattle for 

 breeding purposes; conducted 30,041 demonstrations in the feeding 

 and management of swine; assisted in building 2,256 dipping vats 

 and 5,517 silos; instructed 56,031 farmers how to care for farm 

 manure; conducted 25,068 demonstrations with lime; advised 156.804 

 farmers in regard to the proper use of commercial fertilizer; fur- 

 nished building plans for 3.028 farm buildings; installed 1,753 home 

 water sy.stems; put in 28,812 tiling demonstrations and 20,439 ter- 

 racing demonstrations; 315,654 home gardens were planted or im- 

 proved through the work of county agents. The agents made 885,966 

 farm visits and received 765,207 calls at offices or homes. Addresses 

 were made at 78,996 meetings with a total attendance of 3,880,403. 



Distressed cattle. — Severe drought in west Texas in 1917 con- 

 tinues in 1918 with increasing intensity. Through cooperation with 



