OFFICE OF FARM MANAGEMENT. 499 



PLAINS STATES. 



Because of the extreme variation in rainfall in many parts of the 

 area, one of the primary problems in the Plains States is the estab- 

 lishment of a safe type of farming-. The district is now one of small- 

 grain production and of extensive farming. Certain systems of 

 farming embodying live stock have been found to give their opera- 

 tors very good success in many parts of this region. The experiences 

 of these farmers are being studied with a view of developing types 

 of agriculture which will insure a more stable production and lessen 

 the hazards so common to straight grain farming in this region 

 to-day. 



PACIFIC NORTHWEST. 



The activities of the Office of Farm Management in the North- 

 western States have been confined almost entirely to the study of 

 farm practices which have been found to increase the yields of wheat 

 in the dry-farming areas of this region. Through a careful analysis 

 of the practices and experience of the more successful wheat growers 

 in eastern Washington and western Idaho, our investigators have 

 been able to develop certain practices which, when followed, insure 

 greatly increased yields on most farms. 



PACIFIC AND MOUNTAIN STATES. 



Owing to the wide variation in conditions, the problems of man- 

 agement in the operation of farms in this region are extremely 

 diverse. Attention has been directed to the development of success- 

 ful live-stock farms on irrigated areas, and to the development of 

 types of farming which will include crops that are particularly well 

 adapted to these farms. 



FARM-MANAGEMENT DEMONSTRATION WORK IN THE SOUTHERN 



STATES. 



In January, 1917, the Office of Farm Management entered into a 

 cooperative agreement with the extension forces in southern States 

 for carrying on farm-management demonstration work through the 

 various existing State agencies. The object of this cooperative 

 work is to assist the State extension divisions and county agents 

 in solving the important problems of management that have a direct 

 bearing upon the profits and losses on farms in the cotton-growling 

 region. Under this arrangement farm-management specialists have 

 been placed in a number of the southern States to work in coopera- 

 tion with the extension forces. A number of other States are ready 

 to take up this work as soon as finances and workers are available. 



During the past year particular attention has been directed to the 

 problems which have a bearing upon the war program, such as that 

 of providing an adequate supply of food products for home needs 

 and for nonproducers in adjacent towns and villages, and that of 

 maintaining or increasing crop yields through more effective use of 

 cover crops and green manures, in view of the shortage of commer- 

 cial fertilizers. 



Effort has been made to introduce labor-saving methods and prac- 

 tices wherever possible. 



