28 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



effective interchange of seeds from well-supplied regions to those 

 reporting shortages. 



Through a number of channels the Department proceeded to bring 

 the program to the attention of the grain farmers of the country and 

 to seek their cooperation in making the recommendations effective. 

 It was published as a circular and also was given wide distribu- 

 tion through the press and the WeekW News Letter. A series of 

 conferences immediately was held by representatives of the Depart- 

 ment in several of the grain-growing sections of the country. They 

 were held in Washington for the Eastern and Northeastern States; 

 in Atlanta for the Southeastern States ; in Indianapolis for Indiana, 

 Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Kentucky; in Kansas City 

 for Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado, 

 Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, and 

 Arkansas; and in Spokane, Wash., for the remaining States. The 

 local problems likely to be encountered in increasing the grain acre- 

 age were discussed with farmers, agricultural leaders, bankers financ- 

 ing agricultural enterprises, and editors of agricultural journals. 



Following the publication of the program and the holding of the 

 conferences, the Department carried on an intensive campaign to em- 

 phasize the need for an increased production of grain and the best 

 methods to be employed in obtaining the increases suggested. Sev- 

 eral special bulletins and posters were prepared and distributed, 

 and articles discussing various phases of grain production and han- 

 dling were issued through the general press, agricultural press, and 

 the publications of the Department. The extension workers through- 

 out the grain-growing regions concentrated their attention upon the 

 problem and urged farmers to cooperate with the Department. 



THE FARM-LABOR SUPPLY. 



It was early apparent that in certain sections of the country, par- 

 ticularly near the great industrial centers in the North and North- 

 east and especially in the vicinity of plants undertaking large war 

 contracts for the Government, there would be a marked shortage of 

 farm labor. It was obvious, too, that, on account of the abstraction 

 of labor through enlistments in the Regular Army and through the 

 operation of the draft law, difficulties would be experienced in many 

 sections of the Union. The situation called for constructive action. 

 A large army can not be constituted without causing inconvenience 



