360 ANNUAL EEPOETS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUEE. 



trict agents. Farm bureaus, which were originally organized pri- 

 marily as an aid to the county agent in his demonstration work, have 

 come to be recognized generally as the county extension organization. 

 Cooperating with the State agricultural college and the United States 

 Department of Agriculture in all the extension work being done by 

 each of these institutions in the county, these associations are now de- 

 veloping county programs of work in agriculture and home economics. 

 During the year the number of farm bureaus increased from 278 to 

 775, there now being a total membership in farm bureaus of 300,000. 



Agents stimulated food production. — Among the principal handi- 

 caps met by the farmers in their efforts to increase crop and live-stock 

 production have been the difficulty of securing sufficient farm help and 

 the necessary and desirable fertilizers, seed grain, and seed potatoes. 

 The county agents assisted 132,205 farmers in securing or locating 

 2,615,497 bushels of seed grain, beans, and seed potatoes, including 

 more than half a million bushels of seed corn for the 1918 crop. As 

 a direct result of this campaign 3,478,982 additional acres are re- 

 ported to have been planted with those crops for which the Govern- 

 ment has felt the greatest need for meeting the threatening food 

 shortage, both of this country and the allies. The increased produc- 

 tion brought tbout primarily through the efforts of farm-bureau 

 committeemen and the county agents is reported to have been 32,767,- 

 756 bushels of crops and 272,746 tons of forage. 



Farm help secured. — The farm-bureau offices or county agents 

 received 65,095 applications for farm help and assisted in securing 

 or placing 66,036 laborers, including more than 3,000 M^omen and 

 girls, used principally in harvesting fruit. In order to meet the labor 

 difficulties on farms, the agents arranged to assist in locating and 

 placing farm laborers by keeping lists in their offices of those wanting 

 farm help and those desiring work. In many instances the agents 

 have cooperated with State labor agents in having a farmer in each 

 community serve as committeeman on labor supply. These com- 

 mitteemen reported to the county agents help needed and available in 

 their communities in excess of local needs and supply, and the county 

 agent, in turn, reported to the State leader the number of laborers 

 needed in the county which could not be supplied locally. 



Demonstration work pays the farmer. — In doing their work the 

 county agents in the 33 Northern and Western States arranged for and 

 supervised 34,613 demonstrations, either to show methods or results, 

 involving 2,084,589 acres of crops and 149,820 head of live stock. 

 In connection with these demonstrations 13,047 meetings were held 

 to acquaint farmers with results of demonstrations, attended by 

 more than 400,000 persons. On 16.370 demonstrations which it was 

 possible to follow up closely to determine results based on definite 

 records the agents report more than $4,500,000 profit to farmers, due 

 to increased production or saving resulting from following methods 

 recommended. A great many demonstrations have also been con- 

 ducted for which no definite money value could be assigned. Others 

 are continued more than one year, and many are never brought to 

 final conclusion on account of drought, frost, and other conditions 

 preventing their completion. 



