320 ANNUAL KEPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



(2) To cooperate with the State colleges of agriculture in the 

 preparation of plans of extension work in each State as contemplated 

 in the extension act. 



From the 33 States 354 plans for work for the year, or projects, 

 were submitted for consideration and approval. In considering these 

 projects particular attention was given to the following points : 



(a) Does the work proposed meet the requirements of the act of 

 Congress of May 8, 1914? 



(b) Does the object as stated indicate a definite, clear-cut, practi- 

 cal piece of extension work designed to meet the needs of the rurjil 

 people of the State ? 



(c) Do the statements under method of procedure indicate a prac- 

 tical, well-considered, clearly stated plan of attack likely to secure 

 results in the accomplishment of the object? 



(d) Is the project one which involves funds of any bureau of the 

 Department of Agriculture as well as State extension funds, are the 

 cooperative relationships properly shown, and are the plans for work 

 and the assignment of funds in accordance with the understanding of 

 the bureau concerned? 



(e) Does the financial statement provide for expenditures in ac- 

 cord with the subject matter of the project and with the act of 

 Congress of May 8, 1914? 



(/) Is the work contemplated under the project of sufficient im- 

 portance to justify the expenditure of funds as proposed? 



(3) To examine extension work in the field to determine its prog- 

 ress and effectiveness and to further its efficiency through conferences 

 and otherwise. This also involves an examination of the financial 

 records of the colleges on the funds received under the extension act. 



As all projects for cooperative extension work must be mutually 

 agreed upon by the States and the Department before becoming effec- 

 tive in any State it is necessary that the representatives of the De- 

 partment have intimate knowledge of the agricultural problems in 

 each State and of the effectiveness of the extension plans being used 

 for their solution. This requires that intimate first-hand knowledge 

 which can only be obtained by personal conferences with the State 

 extension directors and by agreement with them, visitation of the 

 Avorkers, and personal examination of the work in the field. To 

 this end the work in each of the 33 Northern and Western States 

 was examined during the year. As a result of these visitations 

 and field conferences better relationships have been established, and 

 the field workers are coming to feel that they are not only State 

 and county representatives, but also a part of a national system of 

 extension education for the success of which they are each in part 

 responsible. Through these conferences matters of relationships are 

 adjusted, ways are discovered in which the department workers may 

 be of greater assistance to the States, and State administrative offi- 

 cers are apprised of the assistance available in the various bureaus 

 of the Government. 



(4) The preparation of the annual report of this Office, which 

 covers in detail the progress of the cooperative agricultural-extension 

 work by projects in each State, and also shows the distribution by 

 projects of all funds entering into the work for the year. 



