REPORT OF DIRECTOR OF STATES RELATIONS SERVICE. 327 



Much attention was given to revising the earlier popular bulletins 

 on food topics and the preparation of material particularly suited to 

 the needs of the extension offices of this service. 



The work on textiles and clothing had to do chiefly with the prob- 

 lem of prolonging wear and the period of usefulness, a matter of 

 manifest economy in household management. As a result of the 

 work on spots and stains and their removal, material has been 

 brought together for a popular and also for a technical bulletin, as 

 well as for two special articles. 



Studies were also made with reference to the use of wood in the 

 household. On the basis of experimental and other work, material 

 is being collected for a publication on the general subject of treat- 

 ment and care of wood from the housekeeper's standpoint to aid the 

 housekeeper in maintaining the quality of wooden utensils, as well as 

 of floors, furniture, trim, etc. In this work the advice of the Forest 

 Service was sought. 



The studies of household labor had to do particularly with the time 

 devoted to different household tasks and the ways in which they are 

 carried on, for the purpose of securing data which can be used in 

 connection with the results of determinations made with the respira- 

 tion calorimeter as to the expenditure of time and energy which 

 different kinds of work demand. Such data are essential to the exact 

 discussion of problems of household labor. 



General questions pertaining to the selection of household equip- 

 ment and its arrangement and use have also been considered. 



Cooperating with the Bureau of Animal Industry, respiration calo- 

 rimeter studies were made of the incubation of hen's eggs, with a view 

 to determining the factors which make for the success in artificial 

 incubation and the possibility of their control. The results obtained 

 have demonstrated clearly the suitability of the method for the study 

 of this problem and, in general, are promising. The same may be 

 said of the results of the respiration calorimeter studies of winter- 

 ing bees, particularly with reference to economy in feeding, under- 

 taken in cooperation with the Bureau of Entomology. These stu- 

 dies and the work with eggs, it is believed, will yield data of eco- 

 nomic importance to the farm woman as well as to the poultry raiser 

 and beekeeper. 



During the year special consideration was given to the problem 

 of the preparation of short summaries on home topics and other suit- 

 able material for extension work under the extension act and of pro- 

 viding, in cooperation with extension leaders in the different States, 

 the large amount of such material which is demanded in a way 

 which will secure the economical use of resources available for this 

 work. 



In addition to the usual reports, summaries, and short articles for 

 popular use, there were prepared for publication during the year 20 

 documents, about equally divided between popular and technical 

 articles. 



