340 ANNUAL EEPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTUKE. 



and use of the commercial product, and 1,11. communities were aided 

 by county agents in purchasing commercial fertilizers on a coopera- 

 tive basis, resulting in an estimated saving of $290,766.88. 



In addition to the benefits accruing from the greatly increased 

 jaelds on demonstration acreage, many thousands of farmers were 

 conclusively shown how to increase their producing power and place 

 their farms on a business basis. As a result their plans of operation 

 are better balanced than before; they understand the necessity for 

 rotations and the maintenance of soil fertility and what an impor- 

 tant part live stock plays in their plans; and they have had demon- 

 strated to them the increased value of pure-bred cattle, hogs, and 

 other live stock. The growth in sentiment along these lines is indi- 

 cated by the following figures, showing the live stock brought into 

 county-agent territory through the influence of the agent : Pure-bred 

 horses and mules, 3,202; pure-bred and high-grade dairy cattle, 

 22,299 ; pure-bred and high-grade beef cattle, 32,709 ; pure-bred hogs, 

 29,636; pure-bred sheep and goats, 17,554. Poultry demonstrations 

 involving an aggregate number of 163,330 were conducted. Live- 

 stock diseases and pests received increased attention, 2,488,426 horses, 

 cattle, hogs, sheep, and goats having been treated during the last 

 season. 



County agents made 809,714 visits during the year, traveling 3,590,- 

 567 miles by rail, team, auto, and otherwise. During the season the 

 county agents received 373,015 official telephone or personal calls at 

 their homes or offices. They held 11,708 field meetings, attended by 

 132,355 people. There were distributed 840,635 bulletins of the de- 

 partment and of the State agricultural colleges and experiment sta- 

 tions. The county agent, being looked upon as a local leader, is very 

 frequently called upon to assist in arranging and holding agricul- 

 tural meetings. During the last season county agents assi^ed in the 

 holding of 837 extension schools, or short courses, with an attendance 

 of 130,761. 



HOME-DEMONSTRATION AND CANNING-CLUB W^ORK. 



This work continued in charge of O. B. Martin and Miss Mary E. 

 Creswell. 



In 1916, 419 counties were organized in the Southern States under 

 women county agents, who enrolled and instructed 37,964 girls in 

 canning clubs, 9,656 girls in poultry clubs, 22,048 women as home 

 demonstrators, and 2,211 women in poultry clubs. During the year 

 1916-17 there was a notable development in demonstrations by women 

 in productive acti\dties, such as poultry raising, home butter-malring, 

 gardening, and canning. Many women, under the supervision of 

 county agents, also carried on extensive work in cooking, maldng 

 labor-saving devices, and planning improved arrangement of equip- 

 ment and furniture with reference to more efficient housekeeping. 

 During the previous year the most notable development in women's 

 work was the rapid increase of the number of women who undertook 

 for extended periods to carry on demonstrations in their homes. 



A logical development in 1916 was the organization of many more 

 community clubs among rural women. In 1915 about 250 such clubs 

 were organized; in 1916, 1,042. These clubs held a total of 27,260 



