S6 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



most profitable in different localities. This was mainly accomplished 

 by means of demonstration flocks, 75 of which were established in 

 Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri. The plan is for the county agent 

 and the specialist to arrange with from one to three flock owners in a 

 county to conduct the breeding, feeding, and management of their 

 flocks in compliance with the teachings of experiments and the best 

 practice applicable to the section, and to keep records. These flocks 

 are used as subjects of field meetings and demonstrations. A large 

 number of comity associations of sheep raisers has been formed as a 

 result of the joint efforts of county agents and specialists in sheep hus- 

 bandry. 



Emergency avork in sheep husbandry. On account of the great 

 importance of an increase in wool and lamb production during the 

 war, the work on farm sheep demonstrations was supplemented by 

 emergency extension work in Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, In- 

 diana, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, New Hampshire, North Caro- 

 lina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Vermont, under coopera- 

 tive arrangements with the extension departments of the State agri- 

 cultural colleges. The chief duty of the bureau's specialists was to 

 aid the county agents in giving advice and direction to persons inex- 

 perienced in sheep raising and in endeavoring to bring about the 

 largest possible returns of wool and meat from older flocks. A large 

 number of new flocks were established. Demonstration meetings 

 were held to explain how to select breeding ewes and rams, Iioay to 

 shear the sheep and prepare the wool for market, docking and 

 castrating lambs, and proper management for procuring the maxi- 

 mum growth of lambs and for maintaining the health of the flock. 



HORSE AND MULE INVESTIGATIONS. 



I3KEEDTXG AMERICAN CAKKIAGE HORSES. 



The cooperative agreement with the Colorado experiment station 

 at Fort Collins for experiments in breeding American carriage horses 

 terminated June 30, 1919. July 1, 1919, the work was transferred 

 to Buffalo, Wyo., where it will be conducted in cooperation with the 

 State of Wyoming as a pix)ject for the development of a horse of 

 general utility adapted to western range and farm conditions. Prior 

 to terminating the w^ork at Fort Collins the stud consisted of 7 aged 

 stallions, 2 4-year-old stallions, 1 3-year-old stallion, 2 2-3^ear-old 

 stallions, 20 aged mares, 2 4-year-old mares, T 3-year-old mares, 10 

 2-year-old fillies, and 13 1-year-old fillies, a total of 64 animals. 

 Twelve stallions and 25 mares and fillies were selected for i-etention 

 in the stud to be transferred to Wyoming. The remaining 27 animals 

 were retained by the Colorado station. 



The standard-bred stallion Harvest Aid 63908 was purchased by 

 the department last spring and added to the stud. This stallion is 

 a brown three-year-old, standing 15.2J hands and weighs 1,180 

 pounds in his present form. 



BREEDING MORGAN HORSES. 



The breeding of Morgan horses at the Morgan horse farm, Mid- 

 dlebury, Yt., is progressing very satisfactorily, and uniformity is 

 being attained in the animals produced. At the close of the fiscal 



