370 ANNUAL PvEPOFvTS OF DEPAETMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



specialists, conducted 859 feeding tests, involving 3,821 animals. 

 They helped bring in 12,G4T head of pure-bred dairy cattle and 

 14,997 grades. They helped the specialists in dairying to conduct 

 1,052 feeding demonstrations, involving 19,200 animals. Outside of 

 the special work in the removal of cattle from the drought-stricken 

 region of Texas and Oklahoma, they assisted in bringing in 17,807 

 head of purebred beef cattle and 40,183 head of grades. There were 

 805 feeding demonstrations with beef cattle, with a total of 28,317 

 head involved. The county agents started 2,195 herds of beef cat- 

 tle. They assisted farmers in bringing 42,864 head of hogs into the 

 South for breeding purposes, and lielped specialists to conduct 7,884 

 feeding demonstrations, involving 71,901 hogs. The special cam- 

 paign for increased hog production asked for by the Government 

 was conducted in all States. The allotted percentages of increase 

 were fairly well met, Mississippi and Tennessee leading, each with a 

 20 per cent increase. The agents helped bring in 10,775 pure-bred 

 sheep and goats, and 69,862 grades, and conducted feeding demon- 

 strations on 367 farms, involving 8,026 animals. In addition, they 

 started 3,526 ncAv herds. 



Poui.TRY WORK. CoTUity agcuts assisted specialists in conducting 

 poult^-y demonstrations on 4,623 farms, involving the feeding of 

 474,397 birds. 



Live stock diseases. To help farmers protect their herds against 

 live stock diseases and pests the county agents induced farmers to se- 

 cure the treatment of animals for diseases, as follows 2,391,842 head 

 of cattle and 2,299,661 hogs. In this they personally treated 568,167 

 head of hogs for cholera while administering either the simultaneous 

 or serum treatment, in most instances under authorization of the 

 State live stock sanitary boards. They induced farmers to have 

 43,396 head of sheep and 43,242 head of horses and mules treated 

 for diseases. The grand total of live stock so protected was 4,778,141 

 head. In addition to this, they helped procure the building of 2,219 

 dipping vats and 3,803 silos. 



Tick eradication. The Bureau of Animal Industry, in coopera- 

 tion with the various State live stock sanitary boards, has been con- 

 ducting an intensive campaign for cleaning the South of cattle ticks. 

 There were released from quarantine 67,308 square miles of territory 

 during the year. More than half of the original quarantine area is 

 now released. Mississippi was declared tick free and South Caro- 

 lina expected to be released November 1, 1918. County agents every- 

 vrhere have assisted the specialists in the necessary educational work 

 and in stocking the country Vvith improved animals after the ticks 

 have been eradicated. 



Manure, fertilizers, and li:me. The county agents conducted 

 63,085 demonstrations in the proper care and saving of man\ire on 

 farms, estimated to involve over 10,000,000 tons. The county agents 

 assisted farmers and farmers' organizations in the cooperative pur- 

 cliase of lime and in lime xlemonstrations, involving practically 

 1,000,000 tons. They gave specific advice to 223,979 farmers regard- 

 ing the use of fertilizer and conducted 11,665 specific demonstrations. 

 They also induced 2,156 communities or organizations of farmers to 



