90 ANNUAL EEPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGKICULTUEE. 



DAIRY DIVISION. 



On account of the high cost of feed and other materials used in 

 dairying, the Dairy Division, under B. H. Rawl, chief, has given 

 special attention to economical production through the use of im- 

 proved dairy cows and proper feeding. To improve the dairy cows 

 the use of better sires and the selection of cows has been encouraged 

 by the promotion of bull associations and cow-testing associations, 

 and this work has met with a hearty response from the producers. 

 Bull associations, which make it possible for owners of small herds 

 to have the use of good bulls and at the same time to utilize good 

 bulls to the fullest advantage, have been especially successful. Ex- 

 tensive breeding projects have been begun at the Dairy Division 

 experiment farm at Beltsville, Md., and also in cooperation with 

 various States, for the purpose of determining the principles of 

 breeding for establishing high-producing herds. 



Much time has also been devoted to encouraging the fuller utili- 

 zation of milk and milk products, and a special campaign was car- 

 ried out to increase the consumption of milk where a surplus of this 

 product was found. Improvement of dairy products has been under- 

 taken by emphasizing the importance of sanitation on the farm 

 and the necessity for the thorough cleaning of dairy utensils. Inves- 

 tigations in economy of production, such as fuel and steam utiliza- 

 tion in factories, have been continued. Studies in the manufacture 

 of foreign varieties of cheese have been extended and results of sev- 

 eral years of experimentation with Swiss and Roquefort cheese have 

 been put into practical use in the manufacture of these cheeses on a 

 commercial scale. 



Efforts were made to assist in war work with all facilities at the 

 division's command. Surveys and inspections of milk supplies were 

 made in Army cantonments, and assistance was rendered the Navy 

 Department through the inspection of butter. Work was done also 

 on other war problems. 



DAIRY EXTENSION. 



Extension work in dairying serves to carry this industry into 

 new sections, to introduce new practices developed as the result of 

 research, and in general to unify methods throughout the United 

 States. This work is generall}^ carried on in connection with various 

 State agricultural colleges. Cow-testing-association and bull-asso- 

 ciation work are the chief lines of activity. 



SOUTHERN DAIRYING. 



Efforts of the extension forces have been directed toward general 

 dairy advancement in the South and the building up of a cheese 

 industry in the mountain sections. Amon^^ the more important 

 specific accomplishments have been the organization of 21 bull asso- 

 ciations and 7 new cow-testing associations, reorganizing 5 cow- 

 testing associations, assistance in the purchase of 1,849 head of cattle 

 (among which were 169 purebred bulls and 771 purebred females), 

 and the erection of 64 siios, 48 new barns, and many other smaller 

 buildings. The great popularity of bull associations and the large, 

 number of dairy cattle brought into the Southern States give evi- 



