358 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



course in farming for women; war camp farms in the Uited States 

 in 1918; a revision of the home projects in agriculture. There were 

 also available for use in this work sets of slides, w^ith lecture notes, 

 on the farm water supply; flies and their relation to health; the 

 mosquito and its relation to health. 



The lantern-slide service has had a wide range, including schools 

 in 32 States and a few schools in Canada. Slides were also loaned 

 to the Y. M. C. A. camp service for use both in the United States and 

 in France. In Texas and Massachusetts a set of each of the slides 

 was placed in charge of the State departments of agricultural edu- 

 cation to be sent out on circuits to the schools teaching agriculture. 

 This service proved very effective and it is hoped Avill be extended 

 during the coming year. Plans were developed to widen the scope 

 and type of illustrative material, especially to assist the States to 

 obtain duplicates of the material available. 



The division continues, as heretofore, to review and abstract for 

 Experiment Station Record the literature on agricultural education, 

 this work requiring a large portion of the time of one member of the 

 staff. 



During the year various field trips were made by members of the 

 staff, including visits to State and regional conferences of agricul- 

 tural directors, supervisors, and teachers ; associations at which agri- 

 cultural instruction was discussed ; State colleges giving attention to 

 the training of teachers of agriculture ; and schools giving instruction 

 in agriculture. During these trips conferences were held and all 

 assistance possible given to the men in the field. 



Relations of the most cordial nature were maintained with the 

 various bureaus of the department and helpful assistance was ren- 

 dered by these bureaus. 



INVESTIGATIONS ON FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 



J. M. Stedman, Farmers' Institute Specialist. 



Farmers' institute work in the United States during 1918 as com- 

 piled from reports from 31 States included 6,941 institutes, which 

 lasted 7,184 clavs, comprised 14,446 sessions w^th an attendance of 

 1,916,706, employed 2,002 lecturers, and cost $260,826.09, divided be- 

 tween State appropriations of $184,463.24 and other funds con- 

 tributed to the amount of $76,362.85. ^ 



The States Relations Service continued to aid farmers' institute 

 workers, as well as county agents and other extension teachers 

 throughout the country, along the same lines as heretofore. Three 

 new lectures. Renovating the neglected apple orchard, Growing and 

 handling Irish potatoes, and The city and suburban vegetable 

 garden, were published, each accompanied with 50 lantern slides. 

 These lectures were used not only by farmers' institute lecturers but 

 more especially by county agricultural agents, from whom the de- 

 mand is constantly increasing. They are also used by home-demon- 

 stration agents, club leaders, teachers of agriculture in high schools, 

 and extension teachers in agricultural colleges, by grange lecturers, 

 and by other persons who desire aid in presenting their subject before 

 audiences of farmers. 



During the year lectures, each accompanied with a set of 50 lantern 

 slides, were loaned to 604 extension workers. 



