80 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



A campaign was begun in the spring to encourage the early hatch- 

 ing of chickens in order to obtain better egg production during the 

 fall and winter, and this will be continued on a larger scale during 

 the coming year. 



POULTRY CLUBS. 



The girls' and boys' poultry clubs, first organized in 1912, are being 

 continued in 8 States (Georgia, Kentucky, Massachusetts, North 

 Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia), with 

 a total X)f 249 counties organized, 1,121 clubs, and 11,224 members. 

 During the past year members set 84,171 eggs, hatched over 59,000 

 chicks, and raised 38,327 matured fowls. More than $8,000 worth of 

 poultry products were sold or consumed at home. Those members 

 who sent in full reports showed total receipts and value of stock on 

 hand amounting to $39,546.25, with an average profit over all expen- 

 ditures of $14.72 for each member so reporting. During the past 

 year 129 exhibits were held, in which 1,649 members competed, 

 showing 6,280 fowls and 329 dozen of eggs and winning prizes 

 amounting to $4,685.90. Poultry short courses have been estab- 

 lished at many State schools and colleges as prizes to club members 

 who have shown special excellence in their work. 



COMMUNITY POULTRY BREEDING. 



The establishment of community poultry breeding associations 

 illustrates the interest being taken by the older people as an out- 

 growth of the children's work. The effect of these associations is to 

 establish in one section an interest in one particular breed or variety 

 of fowl. This work has been taken up in 4 States, with 42- asso- 

 ciations and 885 members. One association devoted to Barred Ply- 

 mouth Eocks did a business during the first five months of its exist- 

 ence amounting to $7,500. Reports from members show, that they 

 have on hand 6,000 Barred Plymouth Rock hens and pullets and 

 have marketed 1,000 capons. In 17 counties of one State over 83,500 

 eggs from standard-bred fowls have been distributed among the 

 members of these associations for hatching. 



EXPERIMENTS IN LIVE STOCK PRODUCTION IN SEMIARID AND IRRIGATED 



DISTRICTS. 



The experimental work in the production of live stock in semi- 

 arid and irrigated districts, begun during the past fiscal year, is 

 carried on in cooperation with the Bureau of Plant Industry and 

 under the general direction of the committee of five appointed by 

 the Secretary of Agriculture for that purpose. The State experiment 

 stations of Nebraska and Montana are also cooperating in the work. 



A brief survey was made of several reclamation projects and the 

 Bureau of Plant Industry stations located thereon, and of dry-land 

 stations in the Great Plains region. Experimental work was begun 

 at Bureau of Plant Industry stations at Huntley, Mont.; Newell, 

 S. Dak. ; Mitchell, Nebr. ; and Ardmore, S. Dak. The Huntley and 

 Newell stations were each equipped with stock, individual hog 

 houses, and a large community hog house, fences, etc., needed to con- 

 duct work with hogs. No additional equipment was needed at the 

 Mitchell station this year. At the Ardmore station a large com- 



