312 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas the increase in 

 the total production of corn for the year 1910 over that of 1909 was 

 158,294,000 bushels, or 45 per cent of the total increase of the crop 

 of the entire United States for those years. In Mississippi the total 

 corn crop was increased by more than GO per cent and the average 

 production per acre by 33.^ per cent, while in Alabama the figures 

 are almost equally good. For the first time since the 'svar the South- 

 ern States produced such a large crop of corn that in many sections 

 no money was sent out of the counties for the purchase of northern- 

 grown corn. The production of home supplies has placed the farmer 

 upon a more profitable footing. As the necessity for advances de- 

 creases with diversification and the production of home supplies, the 

 bank deposits from farmers correspondingly increase. 



Work among negroes. — Many negro farmers in all the Southern 

 States are enrolled as demonstrators and cooperators, and all agents 

 extend help to colored as well as to white farmers. Numerous strik- 

 ing instances of rapid progress from poverty to prosperity by indi- 

 vidual negro farmers and communities as a result of the teachings of 

 the demonstration work are on record. In sections where the ma- 

 jority of the farmers are negroes and conditions are such that it is 

 possible to do so, agents of their own race have been employed. At 

 present 21 colored agents are working with the farmers of their own 

 race, and it is probable that the number will be increased during the 

 present fiscal year. 



Cooperation by other organizations. — During the year ended 

 June 30, 1911, as for a number of years heretofore, the work in sev- 

 eral States has been supported by funds appropriated by the General 

 Education Board of New York for cooperation with the department 

 in the demonstration work. These funds during the past year were 

 expended in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and 

 Virginia. The funds derived from the Congressional appropriation 

 were used in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, 

 Alabama, and Tennessee. The work in all States was carried on in 

 exactly the same way and all agents, whether paid by the department 

 or from the funds appropriated by the board, were selected by the 

 department and are under its complete control. 



During the past fiscal year funds were appropriated by the States 

 of Alabama, South Carolina, and Virginia and by many counties in 

 Mississippi, Arkansas, Virginia, Texas, and other States, as well as 

 by numerous boards of trade and other organized bodies of business 

 men in various communities for cooperation with this demonstration 

 work. The aid received by the demonstration Avork in this way in- 

 creases yearh\ In no other way is the value of this work and its 

 general appreciation by the public more clearly shown. 



During the past fiscal year laws have been passed in the States of 

 Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, North Carolina, and Virginia 

 authorizing county boards of supervisors to appropriate money to 

 cooperate with the department in paying the salary of the local agent 

 to do demonstration work. The extent of this cooperation can best 

 be understood by stating that during the present fiscal year the co- 

 operative arrangements mentioned will enable the department to do 

 practically twice the work which could be done with the congres- 

 sional appropriation alone. 



