BUREAU OF MARKETS. 435 



eminent of New Zealand opened its markets to American grapes, 

 which previously had not been allowed entry into that country. 



In cooperation with the project ' Marketino- Live Stock, INteats^ 

 and Animal By-Products," an investigator was sent abroad to study 

 the conditions in the live stock, meat, and dairy industries of the 

 United Kingdom and Europe, and to estimate the possible demands 

 upon America during the readjustment period. During the visit of 

 this representative to France the Ministry of Agriculture removed 

 existing restrictions against the importation of American cattle and 

 placed an order in the United States for large numbers of dairy 

 cattle. This Bureau also was instrumental in making an arrange- 

 ment witli the United States Shipping Board whereby these cattle 

 could be shipped to France. 



In June, 1919, in cooperation with the project mentioned above, 

 representatives were sent to South America to study the markets 

 for American purebred live stock. In connection with this work 

 attractively illustrated booklets printed in Spanish and Portuguese 

 were issued dealing with the purebred live-stock industry of the 

 United States. 



At the request of the relief commission the Bureau of Markets, 

 in Februar}'-, 1919, sent a grain expert to Europe to assist in esti- 

 mating the crop and food conditions in the central countries. 



In May, 1919, an agricultural trade commissioner was sent to the 

 United Kingdom to study the markets for American agricultural 

 products in that region and to make regular reports by letter and 

 cable on this subject for the information of the American public. 

 Representatives of the same sort should be placed in France, Italy, 

 and Denmark for work in central, southern, and northern Europe, 

 but at present funds will not permit this expansion. 



RURAL COOPERATION. 



This work was prosecuted under the supervision of Mr. C. W. 

 Thompson during the past fiscal year. The supervision and direction 

 of the investigations concerning rural insurance, rural telephone com- 

 panies, and rural social and educational activities was, at the end of 

 tlie year, transferred to the Office of Farm Management in accordance 

 with the plans of the department for an enlargement of the field of 

 that office to include all studies pertaining to farm economics and 

 farm life. The rural credit investigations were discontinued since 

 Congress failed to appropriate funds for the further prosecution of 

 this work. 



KURAL CKEDIT, INSURANCE, AND COMMUNICATION. 



During the fiscal year 1919, a study was made of the farm credit 

 extended by banks, assistance was given the Bureau of the Census 

 in the preparation of the 1920 census schedule, press releases and 

 other material relative to farmers' credit unions in the United States 

 were prepared, and a number of articles on rural credit were 

 published. 



A model State law was drawn up for farmers' mutual fire in- 

 surance companies, a manuscript for a bulletin on prevailing plans 

 and practices among farmers' mutual fire insurance companies was 



