BUREAU OF MARKETS. 451 



cotton is raised, the average for the 10 cotton States being 00 per 

 cent. The figures also indicate that more than 40 per cent of the 

 general merchants' sales to farmers are for cash, and that of the 

 credit sales, 45 per cent are on open account (without security), 

 43 per cent on croj) lien, and 12 per cent secured in other ways. 



A study of the live-stock loan business has been begun. Informa- 

 tion has been gathered from officers of banks in the financial centers 

 of the East, and from officers of banks and cattle-loan companies 

 and members of commission firms in the large live stock markets of 

 the Central West, concerning the volume and the making, safeguard- 

 ing, and rediscounting of cattle loans, and the rates charged. 



At the request of the Federal Farm Loan Board, with which this 

 work is carefully coordinated, field assistance has been given in their 

 educational campaign and a series of amortization tables has been 

 prepared. Farmers' Bulletin 792, How the Federal Farm Loan 

 Act Benefits the Farmer, has been issued. 



A preliminary study has been made with regard to the Torrens 

 system of land-title registration, covering both the laws in force in 

 certain of the States and the subject of land-title registration laws in 

 general. 



INSUKANCE. 



Field studies of various types of farmers' mutual insurance com- 

 panies have been continued and the tabulation of the information 

 received through questionnaires has been completed. An article en- 

 titled "Farmers' Mutual Fire Insurance " was published in the 

 Yearbook for 1916 and issued as Yearbook Separate 697, and Depart- 

 ment Bulletin 530, The Organization and Management of a Farmers' 

 Mutual Fire Insurance Company, has been issued. A digest has been 

 made of the State laws relating to farmers' mutual insurance. 



COMMUNICATION. 



Further study has been made of rural telephone companies and 

 telephone systems in Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, the New England 

 States, and most of the Southern States. A great deal of informa- 

 tion regarding the various types of organization and the practices of 

 such companies has been obtained. 



RURAL SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES. 



A report of the social and economic survey of Albemarle County, 

 Va., including a number of charts and diagrams, has been prepared. 

 Active field assistance has been given in making a community survey 

 of Christiansburg, Ya., and the neighboring farming country. The 

 results of this survey have been tabulated. A preliminary study has 

 been made of the economic value of women's rural organizations in 

 direct marketing. 



A list of State and county fairs and a partial list of community 

 fairs have been made, copies of State laws relating to fairs have been 

 collected, and some field observations have been made preliminary to 

 a general study of fairs. A manuscript has been prepared entitled 

 " The Community Fair " and will be issued as Farmers' Bulletin 870. 



