GOVERNMENTAL WORK FOR COUNTRY LIFE 393 



brought under cultivation for the first time, the num- 

 ber of growing fruit-trees and vines of bearing age, 

 the number and classes of live-stock, and such other 

 data as may be required. This information is, when 

 possible, to be secured through a personal interview 

 with the owner or operator of the farm. Eeturns 

 are made to the State Commissioner of Agriculture 

 for publication. 



Under the direction of the department of farm 

 management of the Michigan Agricultural College, 

 classes in farm accounting have recently been held 

 for adult farmers in various counties of the State, 

 and instruction and assisting in the problems of 

 farm management have been afforded by the staff of 

 this department by direct visitation and by corre- 

 spondence. The general aim is to direct farm ac- 

 tivities along lines that shall be most profitable eco- 

 nomically. Through questionnaires, the department 

 seeks to gather information directly from farmers 

 which will indicate the kind of farm practices now 

 being employed and out of which may come sug- 

 gestions for a more economical system of farm op- 

 erations. There is cooperation in this work between 

 the College and the Grange, the farm bureaus and 

 the farmers' clubs. The Michigan State Grange is 

 reported to have made a considerable appropriation 

 for the investigation of farm practice and the en- 

 couragement of farm accounting and improved 

 methods. A feature of this work has been the dis- 

 tribution at low cost of farmers' account-books, pre- 

 pared and sold by the College. Some three thousand 



