II DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE IN THE \7 A R By DIXON »1 E P. R I T T t Assistant in Charge, Press Service. ^ Page The Task and The Tools 1 Work felt on every hand 2 Scope of Department's activi- ties *-- 3 Food production problem- 5 Peace-time laws meet war-time needs 6 Divide responsibilities 8 Emergency funds 9 ffice of Farm Management . 11 City and town people help harvest crops 11 Labor-saving machinery 13 Licensing manufacturers of farm machinery 15 Wheat-production survey 16 Weather Bureau 19 Train soldiers in meteor- ological work 20 Cooperate with aerial mail service- 22 Forest Service- 24 Use of wood in modern warfare-- 25 Artificial drying of uood 26 Wood-testing experiments 28 Timber supply and production — - 31 Protection of tunnels and bridges 32 Forest specialists in mili- tary service 34 New ranges opened for stock grazing 36 Train foresters in France 37 Bureau of Animal Industry 40 Lie at Inspection Division 40 Protecting meat supply from contamination- 41 Stimulating food production 42 Emergency poultry campaign 44 Back-yard poultry keeping 45 Work of Dairy Division 46 Pasteurizing facilities en- larged 47 Sugar substitutes found- 49 Campaign against animal diseases 50 Cattle-tick eradication 51 Hog-cholera control 52 Controlling tuberculosis in live stock 54 K T E N T S Page BacteriaJ. culture furnished 55 Anthrax serum supplied 57 Exclusion of contagion from abroad- , , 58 Bureau of Plant Industry 60 Plant-disease control 61 Undertakes sap-stain prevention — 62 Handbook of plant diseases pre- pared 64 Equipment lent to war-research organizations • 65 Increase production of long- staple cotton 66, Substitute for raffia in making camouflage- 68 Castor-bean production increased- 68 Eradication of. common barberry 70 Results accomplished 71 Smut prevention through seed treatment 73. Beet-sugar production — '■ — - 75 Extension of the sorghum sirup industry '■ 76 Supervise agricultural- work at cantonments- 78 Salvaging of fruit and vegetable crop- 79 Bureau of Chemistry 81 Department chemists prompt to aid 82 Acetic acid from alcohol- 83 ifeny new food processes pre- sented-- 85 Substitutes for flour and sugar-- 86 Economies in fats and oils — > 87 Millions saved in grain and cotton fires 89 Grain dust explosions checked 91 Dehydration work benefits peace- times 92 Preserving shoes and harness 93 Waterproofing for tents and paper — 94 Gives standards for war pur- chases— 96 Aid for airplane photography- 97 Developing airplane smoke screens 99 Gas-mask work invaluable- 100 Detect ground glass in food 101 Bureau of Soils 104 Drawing nitrogen from the air 104 ;. . . . at .'Ol^i^ ■■■ - - * i — --- — .. -. .. ■ - - ■;■ ■■,.. r. _;1 g^j tiff? .*■-'* \c ■-: — '----.•■ • --•;; <*, r . >.;<;.•;►• - :_ ■• ...••■'--'. 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IQ 9C)( S ; '■'■ •* 5fl -- -• •- — • -~3#rcy1 BfiewiisflS - :.;-.«•« .':r*:-- 1 .. .—•■*,'* jri eftiSl© .'■-.- .iV ... , - - : ■- -■ i - . £ ' »~vxC - 2 Page Bureau of Crop Estimates • 107 Stimulating grain production -- 108 Crop statistics gave good service 109 Bureau of Entomology 111 Protecting airplane wood from in- sects--- 112 Bureau deals death to cooties 113 Entomologists in Army service 115 Saving crops from insects 117 Insecticide supply important 119 bureau of Biological Survey 121 Total feasts for the rats 122 War on animal enemies to food 123 Cooperation given to States- 125 Bureau of Public Roads 126 Roadways rushed to cantonments 127 Road bureau aids shipbuilding 128 Show how to pour concrete ships — 130 Highways council averts delays 131 Selecting most imperative work — - 133 Pass o» projects involving mil- lions 134 Diverting resources for greatest needs 135 States Relations Service 136 Swelling army of field workers 137 Northern workers solve corn prob- lem 138 Southern workers win crop diver- sity 140 Reach more than 3,000,000 women — 142 Taking the message to the family- 143 What was done on cur islands 145 Bureau of Markets 147 Cooperative purchasing and market- ing - 148 Opening up foreign markets 150 Adapting cotton to airplanes 151 Substitute for balloon silk 153 Stopping waste in food grains 154 Over 10,000,000 market reports 156 War produces new market service-- 157 Timely information on seed 159 Reforms in merchandising methods- 160 Inspection service aids Food Ad- ministration 162 Grading for Grain corporation 163 Distributing nitrate to farmers — 165 nivision of Publications 167 Valuable bulletins help win war — 168 Posters and films carry measures- 172 Motion picture work effective 174 Page Office of Exhibits 176 Exhibits instruct crowds at fairs - 176 Office of Information 180 Valuable articles issued through press 181 Direct circulation reaches .nil lions 183 Insecticide and Fungicide Board — 185 Library 187 Office of Fertilizer Control 189 Fertilizer benefits to be per- manent 190 Stabilizing fertilizer market- 191 Office of Farm Equipment Control- 193 Emergency War Work with seed 194 Equalizing seed distribution — 195 Remedying drought damage 196 Reserve seed supply kept 198 Insuring price of wheat 200 make good crop failures 201 Seed Grain Loans in Drought- stricken areas- 203 Valuable assistance to farmers 204 National Agricultural Advisory Committee 206 Agricultural Commission to Europe- 207 K T'ffi TASK AND THE TOOLS . Y.'hen, in April, 1917, the United States of America became a party to the World War, the high spirit of the old Srusaders came out of the dust of deal centuries and stood again upon stricken fields against the in- fidel—infidel to the faith of human freedom. Purer purpose was never more righteously wrought out to conclusion so gloricus . The national purpose became the personal purpose. It per- meated everywhere and inspired everything. The soldier alone in a shell hole out beyond the front-line trenches; the sailor adown the long lanes of an infested ocean; the scientist in his laboratory; the worker in foundry and forest, at ship yard and powder plant; the farmer between the plow handles in the rows of whispering corn; the woman, nursing wounded men in the glare of bursting sheila, or scrimping two neal3 out of one in her kitchen at home, or knitting on into the night; the child, foregoing candy that the pennies might be caved for war st?mps — from zcp to bottom and through and through, the Nation fought for nothing selfish and nothing sor- did but for the 9ir.pic right of all men everywhere to live their own liver., ' unhin^orer 1 , and unafraid. The Department of Agriculture had share in it all. It claims merely to have done its duty, not more. And yet these many pages of type are required to tell the story in barest outline. -2- Wqrk Felt on Eve rjMfend. A For the story does not stop with the master task of stimulating the production of enough food to keep the ailiec 1 world in fighting form. It goet) to every branch of the fighting forces and to every nook of the sup- porting organizations. It is difficult to touch the army anywhere , foot, hon-e or dragoons, in camp or o;i the march or "going over the top," that the practical work of cne bureau or another of the department was not felt. Every rjoldier, wher he took up hi? mess plate; when he put on his shoes to march through mud and slush; when he went to bed under a tent that did not leak, with no "cooties" scourging under kin and no rats running over him; when he ran into a gas pocket and came out with unshriveled lungs; whenever he turned and whatever he did, he reaped some benefit of the activities of the Department of Agriculture . For it inspected nearly every piece of meat that went to the Army and the Navy. It had men in it3 laboratories in Wash- ington testing shoe leathers and methods of waterproofing them, and it had other men out through the hille and hollows and broad plains of the country instructing farmers how to take the hide off a dead cow so that it would make the best shoes for soldiers. All the way between, through every process and at e^ery turn, it watched out for the soldiers' shoes. It looked to the waterproofing of his tent. It evolved baling papers to keep his food sweet and his powder dry as it came over seas. Its workers gave their bodies as feeding grounds for lice in order to find protection against them for the soldier. It sent its rat exports to the trenches in France, to the campf3 at home and to the storage houses on both sides of the ocean to save the soldier from rat-borne filth and plague. Its plant scouts had found, in far corners of the earth, supplies of the beat materials for gas masks. 0nc3, when tho -3- Gormans began shooting a new and unknown deadly gas, it happened that enme organic chemists in the Department of Agriculture had made that gas syn- thetically 48 hours before the Germans began the use of it, and means were found, thereby, for saving the soldiers from it. Cotton experts of the de- partment made the substitute for linen wings that kept the allied airplanes in the sky after the Germans had bottled up the bulk of the world's supply of flax. Back in the early days of the war, when some men were discussing quan- tity production of various things that had to be made out of thoroughly seasoned ^vood — such as airplane propellers, gun stocks, parts of the ships that were to carry the Army to France and supply it when it got there — some one inquired, "Do the gentlemen realize that the birds are still building nests in the trees from which those things must be made?" That vas true. Under old methods, the far year 1923 would have come and gone before some of the woods required in 1917 could have been sufficiently seasoned. The forestry experts of the Department of Agriculture developed methods under which the seasoning processes that would have required years were completed in as many months. They found substitutes for many woods that could not be had in sufficient quantities. They went to France, regiments strong, and sawed the timber necessary for the expeditionary forces. They did scores of things to make the wood work of war complete and prompt. Fcope of Dep a rtmen t's Activities. The Department of Agriculture locked after the roads over which prac- tically every soldier of the millions marched during his training days and over which his food was hauled to camp. It watched the weather for the fly- ing forces, for the artillery, for the transport systems and for the sotting -4- f orth. of 9oldier3 upon the high seas - It watched the Army mounts and the Army mules to keep them free of shipping fever and other diseases incident to their arduous duties. It cooperated with every department and with every agency that had to do directly with the prosecution of the war. But all this amounts to no mere than to summarize a summary. It makes the half, or nearly so, of what is told in the accounts of the war activi- ties of the seventeen bureaus, divisions, and offices that make up the department . The other somewhat more than half has to do with the work of the Department of Agriculture in seeing that enough food was produced to feed not only the armies that this country was to send to France but to make up the food deficits of the allied nations to the end that their armies might remain in the field and effective, that their civilian populations might remain at their lathes and looms , that tho war might go on without let-up of pressure anywhere against the horde of super-civilized savages who were stabbing at the heart of Liberty. The food reserves of the world, in those spring days of 1917, were very low. The whole earth was on short rations. It looked as though, with the coming of another winter, actual hunger and even starvation might be abroad . About that time there went out to the people of the United States a mighty appeal to save food. Every window, almost, in every city and every town, in every hamlet and a.t every cross roads, was placarded with posters, declaring that food would win the war, admonishing not to waste it, there- fore. Every man, every wonan, every child in the United States heard and saw that appeal, and most of them gave heed. -5- F ood JPrqducti o:-_ Pro blem. But very many of them, likely, never stopped to think that before food car. be saved it must be produced. Most of then did not know that a falling off of five per cent in the acreage planted to food crops in the United States would more than offset all the saving that in reason could be cone and would leave the world face to face with stark starvation. If food shortage was to be averted, if a weakening of morale of the arms directed against Germany was to be turned aside, not only must the. farmers of the united States plant as many acres to food crops as they had planted ir? normal years but they must materially increase those acres. That was the primary and ponderous problem the solution of which the war, on the day that the United States became a party to it, imposed upon the Department of Agriculture and its cooperating agencies. Now, it is something to ask a man to save food, to eat a little less of certain things. It is a great deal more to ask a farmer greatly to in- crease his plantings. That means an increase in outlay out of proportion to the increase in acreage. It means, in every case, the risk of loss and, if drought or flood or frost or other disaster come, it may mean ruin — as it did mean to many American farmers in 1917. For the thing was to be done under many and great difficulties. It wa3 to be done with greatly reduced man power. A million farmers and farm work- ers went into military service . Other hundreds of thousands were taken away by war industries other than agriculture. Fertilizers were scarce and hardly to be had at all. Many of the materials that go into farm machinery were called for by direct war needs. Nothing that the farmer used was to be had so easily, so cheaply or so abundantly as usual and many things were not to be had at all. Here, again, was Israel set to make bricks without straw— and made then. For plantings were increased that year by 3 5,000,000 acres ovei the average, and the 1318 plantings were increased by another 5,8C0,COO acres . Acreage is a more accurate measure than yields of the war effort of American farmers, but the yield figures tell a striking story. Both crop seasons — 1917 and 1916 — were unfavorable over large sections, the former especially for wheat and the latter for corn. Notwithstanding, the yield of the leading cereals in each of these years exceeded those of any preced- ing year in the Nation's history with the single exception of 1915. The task of securing a more ample supply of meat and dairy products was equally important and was not less successfully carried out. P^ac.'e.«t ime jjejbb. Meet Vfa.r-Tir.iB Needs . If credit is to be apportioned for that, it goe3 first to the patriotism of the American farmer and, next, to the fact that the United States, agri- culturally considered, -was prepared for war. Much of national legislation, enacted for peace purposes, did not fit at ail for war needs. Some of it had to be remade; a great deal of it had to he reshaped. But, by some for- tune, the national legislation for the promotion of peace-time agriculture hung a3 fittingly upcn the form of war as if made for it. The cooperative agricultural-extension act, providing for the system of county agricultural agents and home demonstration agents; the cotton futures act, establishing definite standards for cotton; the Federal farm loan act, creating a bank- ing system suited to the needs of the farmer; a provision in the Federal re- serve act, authorizing national banks to lend money on farm mortgages; the _7- Federal aid road act, providing for cooperation between the Federal and Staie Governments in the building cf roads— all of these laws , enacted with- in the four year? prior to 1S17, served to meet very definite needs in mobilizing the Nation's agricultural resources for war. When, two days after a state of war was declared to exist, the Secretary of Agriculture held a conference in St . Louis with representatives of agri- Cultural colleges and State departments of agriculture, there v/as ready a national agricultural system with considerable legal authority for carrying out the plans there mads for stimulating agricultural production. It needed some enlargement, of course, and this was forthcoming. Or. August 10, 1917, Congress passed the food production act, "to provide further for the national security and defense by stimulating agriculture and facilitating the distribution of agricultural products." The act was to be administered by the Department of Agriculture, and it carried an appropria- tion of §11,345 ,400. It was to be expended in: 1. The prevention, control and eradication of the diseases and pests of live stock; the enlargement of ]ive-stock production; and the conservation and utiliza- tion of meat, poultry, dairy, and other animal products, $885,000 2. Procuring, storing, ard furnishing seeds for cash at cost to farmers in restricted areas where emergency con- ditions prevailed, $2,500,000. 3. The prevention, control, and eradication of in- sects and plant diseases injurious to agriculture, and the conservation and utilization of plant products, $441,000. 4. The further development of the Extension Service in cooperation with the agricultural colleges in the States, |4,348,400. -8- 5. Surveys of the food supply of the United States, gathering and disseminating information concerning faria products, extending and enlarging the market news se-rvicee, preventing waste of food in storages in transit, or held for sale, giving advice concerning the market movement or distribution of perishable products , and investigating and certifying to shippers the conditions as to soundness of fruits, vegetables, and other food products received at important central markets, $2,522,000. 5. The development of the information work of the department, enlarging the facilities for dealing with the farm-labor problem, and extending the work of the Bureaus of Crop Estimates, Chemistry, and Biological Survey, &55CG0G. Cut of this money, no new organization had to be formed. The things tc be dene were things on which the Department of Agriculture was already engaged, into which much of the money regularly appropriated fcr its main- tenance was already going. The emergency money furnished the means, merely, for intensifying some lines of work and broadening the scope of others. Divide Regpons i bilities . The expenditure of additional emergency money was entrusted to the Department of Agriculture. Congress appropriated $4,000,000 in addition to the £2, 500, G0C carried in the food-production act, for the purchase and sale of 3eed to farmers for cash at cost. The food control act, another piece of war legislation, carried an appropriation of ^10,000,000 to be used in the purchase and sale to farmers of nitrate of soda for fertilizer. The re- sponsibilities of administration were divided between the War Trade Board and the Department of Agriculture, purchases to be me.de by the former and sale and distribution by the latter. The food control act, while not administered primarily by the Depart- ment of Agriculture, did impose upon it a number of duties, and some of these having to be rerformed outside of -the constituted ~i-ji::aax.3 . made a • 9- measure of new organization necessary. Under that head came the licensing of the farm-machinery industry, of the ammonia industry, of the fertilizer industry, of stockyards and related industries, the purchase and sale of nitrate of soda to farcers , the purchase and sale of seed to farmers in areas where emergency conditions prevailed, toe other new activity entered into the work of the department. An allotment of $5,000,000 to he ad- ministered by the Department of Agriculture was made from the President's special fund to he used as loans to farmers in the drought -st richer, re- gions of the 'Vest. This, however, was looked after by permanent employees of the department. Emer gency Fundo^ AH of these appropriations were fcr the year ending June 30 ; 1913. Emergency funds used after that time were provided in an act to enable the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out, during the following year, the pur- poses of the food production act of 1917. It carried new appropriations totaling $11,031,853 to be expended in: 1. The enlargement of live-stock production, the con- servation and utilization of neat, poultry, dairy and- other animal products ana the control of live-stock diseases and pests, $1,058,975. te 2. The conservation and utilization of plant product s:id the control of insects and plant diseases injurious to agriculture, $811, SCO. 3. Increasing food production, eliminating v/aste and promoting conservation of food, educational and demonat rational methods through county, district, and urban agents, and others, $5,100,000. 4. Gathering information as to the demand, production, supply, distribution and utilization of food, extending and enlarging market news services, preventing waste of food in storage or in transit or held for sale, advice concerning the market movements and distribution of perishable products, and -10- inspection and certification of perishable agricultural products, $1,955,608. 5. Aiding various agencies in supplying farm labor, print- ing eai distributing emergency natter, special work in crop es- timating and 3ome miscellaneous items, Jl. 105, 980. The two revolving fund appropriations for furnishing seed, one for §",500,000 and the other for £4,000, 000 wero continued, not, however, in- volving any new funds. The same is true of the $10,000,000 revolving fund under the food control act for furnishing, nitrate to farmers. This, then, covers the emergency money appropriated to the Department of Agriculture for the performance of it3 war-time tasks. The regular appropriations were used, in very large part, for work toward winning the war . The primary purpose of nearly all Government expenditures from April 7, 1917, till November 11, 1918, was to win the war. All money effica- ciously spent in that way was, of course, well spent. But much of it got results beyond the evA of hostilities — permanent results for the long years of peace that are to follow the winning of the war. That is true of a very large part of what was done by the Department of Agriculture, the story of which is told in the following chapters. •II- T1E OFFICE OF FAB 1 i^MSMEEfT. Immediately after it was known that the United States was to "be involved in the war, the regular work of the Office of Farm .Management was directed toward contributing to the needs cf the time. One of the constantly grave war problems was the shortage of farm labor. There were timer when the situation was critical; when it threatened even to be disastrous. The Office of Farm "lanagemer.t, assisted in some necessary particulars by administrative officers of the department, formed an organization to help the farmers obtain the necessary labor for produc- ing the increased food demanded of them. Special attention was given to a fuller use o^ far;:: machinery and the distribution of agricultural labo; „ This latter work was done in cooperation with the Department of Labor. A farm help- specialist was placed in every state by the Department of Agriculture. With headquarters at the State agricultural colleges, these specialists cooperated with the colleges and experiment stations, State councils of defense, commio^xoners of agriculture, State commis- sioners of labor, and the employment offices of the United States De- partment of Labor. The State farm-help specialist kept in touch with the county agricultural agents in all the comities of his State, and these , through community farm bureaus and committees, were in direct touch with individual farmers and their needs. CiLY._sn_d JDpwu People Help Harvest Crons . Farm-help specialists in every State took an active part in bring- ing to the attention of the district draft boards the necessity of dis- tinguishing between the degrees of skill of different kinds of farm labor in ,.ia!" thrashing rings nave of.ea for jed, each involving froa three to twenty farms. She labor shortage e.i yhasrze-. the neeu. of larger laachines and teams than hed generally been used, the introduction 0f such farm aachin- ery as would permit one flan to perform the greatest possible aniount of wor.c, and the need of acquainting farjsers v/ith the advantages of these aids to efficiency. The work ireviously carried on of collecting and com- piling information about far a equipment .?as accelerated and broadened, with special reference to the needs just mentioned. The newly-gained informa- tion was :iade available in bulletins for free distribution, largely through the aid of actual photographs contrasting labor ana time-consuming practices . • followed in certain sections with improved methods found specially efficient elsewhere, 'fethods were presented of economising nan labor in general farm practices, but particularly in methods of harvesting and hayr^cing. Such specially- illustrated publications were in great demand* ^asides the pictorial presentation of labor-saving davioes and jeth- ods. otner publications treated of the care and operation of various f .r J machines, and the care of the oi'Ops which those machines handled. ^ 10 ng thesa crops were the especially vital ones of wheat, corn, and hay. Concise information was given as to fcha efficient operation of thrashing aaohines, thereby riding in the conservation of grain at thrashing time. The im- portance of this work is shown b : . the fact that the j?ood Administration had men continually in the field in the important grain-producing districts of -15- the country, testing grain separators and obser"ing their operation. The material so published has found continue.. :sc :or instructional pur- poses. She gas tractor received during the war exceptional notoriety rs a labor saver. Extravagant and questionable claims «7si6 made concerning this .lachine, but it is certain that in very aa&uy cases the use of trac- tors enabled kiaeriean faroers to prepare, plant, and Cr.re for greater acreages of crops with less man labor than would have be:;n possible by the use of horses only. She tractor brought taore inquiries than did any oth;5r machine or phase of fsxn equipment. To provide naedsd information over 10,000 reports were secured from e:;per ienced tractor owners, which, with ot^ier date already on file, v;ere incorporated into bulletins adapted i to the needs of particular regions, special attention being given to t'.ie capabilities and limitations of tractors. This information was especially applicable to the Central West -dnc to the Eastern ctates„ Other bulletins of the hind were in preparation et tie end of the war. Li cens ing* rfcniifgcturers of rhr.ii Mac h inery . The Secretary cf agriculture placed the licensing of all fara-ms- chinery manufacturers under a separate office, the staff of which in- cluded one raeaiber of tLe st^ff of the Office of Fsin Management. The chief purposes of the licensing and regulation of the -janufecturers of farm machinery -rtie to conserve steel for war material by eliminating all unnecessary farm machinery, and to maintain fair and equitable prices on ell far. -a equipment under the jurisdiction of the office. The preparation of a "Geography of the ho: Id's Agriculture" had been undertaken so.ae time oefore the wa* , and was not a war pioject,, "ov.t -16- it proved a timely publication, appearing just when the attention of all was turned to pro"ble..is cf bhe world's supply of foods end raw materials of agricultural production. It was in great demand, especially by Govern- ment officials who had to deal with supplies or with the stimulation of production. In planning for Increased agricultural production as a war measure, if the area cultivated was to be increased, it was thought safer to in- crease the area of crops in section" where agricultural practices were established and where production had least risks. One question raised was to what extent areas devoted to hay, forage, and pasture could be utilised in the pioduction of cereals and other crops. It seeded to be particularly important to asoertain the amount and location of agricul- tural lend in farms not utilized by raising crops. The Bureau of the Census, in 1910, collected data showing the amount of pasture land in farms, but this information had not "been tabulated. The Census Bureau granted permission to the Office of Farm Management to tabulate these data, which was done, and the results were published in Jfey, 1918, as Department Bulletin 626, Pasture £and in Farms in the United States. Wheat-Production Sarvey . In the spring of 1918 the shortage of the supply of wheat was keen- ly felt everywhere. The office had in progress for the Atlas of Kmericen .Agriculture a study of wheat production in the United States and other parts of the world. The figures under consideration were brought up to date as nearljr as possible and published in the 1917 Yearbook under tho title ; 'The Y/orld's Supply of '.7heat." The same material was also used in part in the preparation of Circular 90 of the Office of the Secretary, -17- •'The Agricultural Situation for 1918, '.'jheat." These publications showed the effects cf the war on wheat production in other countries, enforced the idea that wheat must "be saved for the Allies, and showed clearly the necessity for great efforts to increase the wheat production of the United states. In the summer of 1918, incidentally to the inquiry which was oigaa- izod under the direction of Colonel House m He,/ York to col]ect data- preparatory for a peace conferences, the Department of Agriculture was asked to cooperate in studying the resources of several countries in- volved in the "jar. The Office of iaiu Management undertook to collect statistics of the agricultural resources of these- countries, to visualize then on naps, and to accompany then by such remits as might be necessary. Worlc was first begun on Russia, lusti ia-Hungary, the Balkan countries, and Turkey. Later, the German colonies Li Africa were studied intensively, While the collection of this ,.i£tciial rfts in piogrsss, the iu nd otcte Departments frequently called upon the Office of Farm Management for' in- formation concerning tire production of the several countries « The ,hr De- partment was furnished mips of tire- production of wheat and rye in Si-.ei.i- and Bussia, and statistics, tables, and notes on the agriculture and agri- cultural conditions in Russia. The distribution of live stoci: n:l the production of cro_-s in .s.ustxia-Hungary, the Balkan States, end _si-tic Turkey, and precipitation in Turkey v ere flapped and submitted to menbers of the inquiry staff who have beco.je jemoeis of the inericc--- Co.ia.iision to negotiate Peace = The maps shewing the distribution of ii~y stocK: an.; sojs crops in tho former "ermeaj-African colonics, and one ^aap eacn of the international trade in wheat and in wool, have also been submitted. , - 13 - These nape were intended to visualize facts in such a way cs to aid th6 jfijiD^rs cf the co .mission to understand the problem involved, with reference to agriculture, in changing boundaries, establishing nev/ states and changing political control. Their usefulness lias been attested, by a ■peruber of the cora-iission, who, in a letter from Psris under date of March 12, 1919, says: "The maps are admirably executed and have 'oven of the greatest service in enabling us to determine reedily by visual in- spection how any proposed frontier would affect the distribution of prod- ucts, and I can. assure you that the results have been of substantial value in helping us to fr.^e our recommendations. I lenov; that the oien wording in the field of Asiatic Turkey are very enthusiastic over what you have given the .a." WEATHER 3 U R E A U On the declaration that there existed a state of war by Germany upon the United States, the Weather Bureau, realizing that the science of meteorology was likely to be largely drawn upon in connection with the conduct of military operations, took immediate steps to organize its resources for th9 part that it would evidently be called upon to play in the conflict. Largely due to the use of airplanes, dirigibles and captive balloons, the highly perfected and powerful artillery and the modern methods of warfare first brought into practice in this war, foreknowledge of existing and expected weather conditions, both in the air and on the surface, were of great consequence. For its work in this connection, the bureau was already largely prepared through its corps of trained weather forecasters and its experience in the taking of meteorological observations both on the surface and in the upper air. It needed only an enlargement of its facilities in oi-der creditably to perform the duties required of it. An early appropriation by Congress provided for much needed extension of its program of aerological observa- tions. One of the bureau's most efficient forecasters and the official in charge of aerologicr.l work of the bureau were commissioned as Majors in the Signal Officers Reserve Corps and, proceeding to the field of opera- tions, were placed in charge respectively of the weather forecasting and military aerological work in France. They were reinforced soon - 20 - after by a trained staff of meieorologis+s f>nd observers taken largely from the ranks of the Weather Bureau. These skilled forecasters and observers, in cooperation with the French and English meteorologists, supplied the Army commanders with every species of meteorological in- formation needed for The most effective work of the infantry, artillery, airplanes, poison gas, etc. The service was based on surface observa- tions over Western Europe and the British Isles and aerological ob- servations made in France by pilot balloons and other special equipment. This was cupplemented by nightly telegrams from the central office of the Weather Bureau containing representative weather reports from the eastern districts of the United States, Canada and the Atlantic coast. Approximately 190 of the trained employees of the Weather Bureau enlisted in the Army and Navy for duty mostly in meteorological units in the United States and France. Train Soldiers in Lieteorologi cgl TTork The Weather Bureau assisted in the training of selected enlisted men of the Signal Corps in the taking of weather observations and other meteorological work. The training of the new soldiers in meteorological duties became imperative at once. About 30 were first assigned in groups of three to five at selected large stations. Later, nearly 200 men were cared for at a greater number of stations. In this way, a nucleus of men was quickly trained in essential duties and made familiar with meteorological work and principles. Later, the Signal Corps established the Meteorological School at College Station, Tex. , and selected representatives of the Weather Buresu to take charge of the whele course of instruction. The bureau established in the United States additional stations for observations in the free air by means of kites, balloons, airplanes, etc. , with the object of reporting actual conditions at different eleva- tions for the benefit of aviation and artillery. In portions of this work, close cooperation was maintained with the Signal Corps of the Army, which furnished observations by means of pilot balloons from about twenty military posts. Special kits flights at night were conducted from time to time at Potomac Park, D. 0. , and in Texas, for testing searchlights, making ex- periments in electricity and as an aid to artillerists in detecting moving objects in the air by means of searchlights. The bureau cooperated with the commanding officers of cantonments, camps, naval stations, etc., by furnishing daily weather forecasts and warnings of unusual and injurious weather conditions. In cooperation with the Surgeon General's Office, the Weather Bureau prepared meteorological data and made a series of observations required in connection with studies of dietetics, camp sanitation, hygiene, etc. By furnishing a full set of meteorological instruments and render- ing assistance in the training of balloonist s, this bureau cooperated with the Signal Corps Balloon School at Omaha, Kebr. One of the experts of the bureau was commissioned a lieutenant colonel and had charge of the school from its inception until near the close of the war. - 22 - Cooperate with Aer ial Mej.l Service Close cooperation was maintained with ths aerial mail service of the Pose Office Department in furnishing advance information of weather conditions likely to be encountered in the flights. Similar information was furnished to Army officials in connection with long distance aero- plane and dirigible balloon flights and in the movement of automobile trucks from factories to seaboards. Meteorological instruments being scarce and difficult to obtain, the Weather Bureau furnished the Army and Navy with instruments and apparatus to equip several meteorological stations at camps and naval bases and undertook the manufacture of meteorographs and other special apparatus urgently needed and that could not be obtained from any other source. Military officers were frequently furnished with selected and special information needed by them in the conduct of studies and work arising from military needs of various kinds not directly related to any of the foregoing projects. The Weather Bureau reported all vessels entering and leaving Chesapeake Bay, Hampton Road3, Gulf of Mexico, through the Cuban r- channel, Columbia River, Straight of Juan de Fuca and other harbors on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. It also transmitted naval and military business over the Weather Bureau telegraph and cable lines, which were frequently the only wires available,' in cooperation with the Coast Guard and Kaval Patrol Services. - 23 - The following publications in the aid of military meteorological work were issued and distributed by the Weather Bureau: A Short report of the Climatology of France and Belgium. Meteorology and Aeronautics. Ilean Values of Free Air Barometric and Vapor Pressures, Temperatures, and Densities over the United States. The Turning of Winds with Altitude. Physics of the Air. 1'ntroductory Meteorology - A Textbook on Meteorology suitable for use in Instructing Men in the Students Army Training Corps. The chief of the "Jeather Bureau is by law a member of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, the work of which during the war was concerned with military aviation. Ke is also, by selection, a member of the National Research Council, and as a member of the Military Committee of that body, he was active in many important matters that cerne before the council. The Chief Signal Officer of the Army in a recent address before the .American Institute of Electrical Engineers, said: "The success which the meteorological service of the .Army has attained would have been wholly impossible had it hot been for the intimate and effective cooperation which has been extended to it in rill its projects by the United States "feather Bureau." 24- •-<.-: THE FOREST SERVICE. When the United States entered the war the Forest Service lost no time in directing its activities into channels intimately connected with the war effort of the Nation . Its research and field organizations immediately grappled with those war problems nearest at hand. Plans were made for new lines of war work. Without waiting for the call, preparation was made for full cooperation with the military tranches of the Government. The employees did their share, through active participation in their respective communities, in all movements tending to the successful termination of the war. The spirit in which this was done was notably exemplified by the work of the women em- ployees who completed the organization of Red Gross units on the day war was declared. The Forest Service began the development of forest research as one of its earliest activities, some 30 years ago, and during the years while the work gradually gained momentum the thought of preparation c'crwar did not enter into it materially; but the experience of the war period showed that, iii research, preparation for peace may be a long step forward in effective preparation for war. A great volume of datr ■■&ri. r-ccumulated concerning the stand, distribution, and quality of our forests, concerning both technical and economic problems of production and manufacture, and concerning the mechanical, physical, and chemical properties of wcod and how best it can be conditioned and utilized for many purposes . An organization of experts wa3 developed which served as a splendid nucleus for a large expansion and which supplied an invaluable background of knowledge, training, experience, -25- and outlook. Use of Ucod in llodsrn '■ Jar fare . The expert knowledge of wood and its problems, gained through years cf research, frequently enabled the Forest Service to anticipate problems long ahead of the men responsible for the utilization of rosults in the military departments . The general purpose of the Service during the war was to use its research organization to help wherever help was needed and to seek out the opportunities without waiting for formal requests. The activities of the Forest Service, first and last, dealt with practically every use of wood in modern warfare — aircraft, both heavier and lighter than- air, and for both land and sea, iTooden ships, military vehicles, boxe9 and crate3 , containers and packing in general, lumber and structural timber, offensive and defensive gas warfare, grain alcohol, acetate of lime, pulp and explosives, hardwood distillation for various purposes, wooden limbs, fiber board, wooden pipe, implement handles, rosin for shrapnel, naval stores products, tannin, nose- plugs for shells, and various pulp products. In order that the results secured might be known and used, cooperative relationships were established and maintained with practically every one of the numerous Governmental agencies which dealt with the war: in the Vfar De- partment with the General Staff, the ^ureau of Aircraft Production, Ordnance Department, Quartermaster General, Surgeon General, Engineer Corps, and Panama Canal; in the ?Javy Peparcr.eut with the Bureau of Construction and Repair, Steam Engineering, Yards and Docks, and Supplies and Purchase; with the Shipping Board, Fleet Corporation, Fuel Administration, Director General of Railroads , Advisory Commission of Aeronautics, War Industries Board, War Trade Board, with several of the Allies, and with large numbers of war Advice and assistance v;ere rendered members of these organizations on foreign and domestic timber resources, -their location, quality, production, and means cf increasing production, en manufacturing procesnes , ci the strength properties of wood and its physical and chemical properties, the best substitutes, methods of drying, storing, finishing, and preserving woods , preparation and review of specifications, inspection and training of men, and finally, on various economic questions relating to the wood- producing and wood-using industries. The activities of the organisation, in addition, included whatever field and laboratory investigations were necessary to secure basic information. Artificial Drying; of V/ood . For the airplane, the question of artificial drying of wood loomed early as one of first importance. Three-inch green spruce dries in the air in from one to two years. The Allies had practically exhausted the reserve stock of dry Sitka spruce before the United States became a party to the war. Airplane authorities insisted that only air-dried stock was acceptable. The pressure of the Kaiser's armies, however, required 3ome other answer. Forest Service kiln-drying specifications reduced the re- quired period by 12 times, from years tc an equal number cf months, and the supply of dry spruce lost its sinister place as the controlling factor in airplane construction. These specifications were based on several years' investigative work mainly on other woeds and for other purposes, and they have since been checked intensively. Theoretically, properly kiln-dried material should be better than air-dried material for the simple reason that it is possible, in properly regulated kilns, to maintain optimum 7- conditicns throughout the entire period of seasoning, while air-drying permits limited regulation only. If practice sustains theorv, the result becomes one of first importance. The advantage in strength and toughness per unit of weight of spruce over its best substitutes is surprisingly small; but, such as it is, Great Britain crossed an cceaii and a continent to secure, end the United Gtate3 organized for its exploitation a body of men which in former wars would have beer, a large army. The work of the war period demonstrated that properly kiln-dried spruce is, in fact, stronger than that dried in the air even under the best conditions . Vehicle makers in the United States before the war depended tc a large extent upon air-dried material. Specifications for escort wagons called Tor stock which did not conform to the standard sizes. The ac- cumulated air-dried material on hand was available, therefore, only in small part, and it was necessary to go back to the sawmill to secure what was needed. Oak in large sizes for vehicle manufacture seasons naturally in two or three years. Dry material had to be secured in days. The kiln was again the only solution. The industry, however, did not have kilns, did not know proper methods of drying, and did not have trained operators. Losses from poor kilns or even gcod kilns inefficiently operated reached from 10 to 50 and even 100 per cent. The Rock Island Arsenal record of December 26 shows what car be done by suitable kilns operated by competent men. Spokes for 56" artillery wheels were dried with a loos of .37 of 1 per cent, spokes for 50" wheels with a loss of .29 of 1 per cent, rims for 56" wheels with a loss of 2 per cent, and rims for 60" wheels with a loss of 1 per cent. Length of time required for drying was even more important — and the time was reduced to one-twelfth. The type of kiln at the Rock Island -28- Arsenal was developed at the Forest Products laboratory, as were also the methods followed. The ran who assisted in the initial operation was a 5e rv to e expe rt . The drying of 'clack walnut presented similar problems. Air-drying was the rule before the war. The demand for rifles required the use cf kilns, and with the kilns came excessive losses. It is reported that one plant adhering to an imperfect schedule lost 60,000 gunstock blanks, valued at $1.20 each when green, in a single kiln run. Concerns following closely methods developed by the Forest Service turned out gunstocks with losses not uncommonly les3 than 1 per cent. If the war had continued, the supply cf naturally- seasoned willow for artificial limbs soon would have been exhausted . For air seasoning, a period of three to five years is necessary. Work underway at the Forest Products Laboratory promises to reduce this period to 60 or 70 days with- out increase in losses. ^'cod-Testing Experime n ts ■ A great volume of data on the strength of wood cf practically all American species has been built up in the Forest Service during the past two decades . The number of individual tests amounted at the end of the war to no less than 300,000 and covered 130 American species. These tests were cf constant and wide application during the war in airplane construc- tion and for practically every other use where a knowledge of the strength of wood waa required. For example, they made possible the preparation of tables showing strength values at 15 per cent moisture content which were adopted by both the Army and the Navy as a basis for the design of all wooden parts in aircraft. These data made it possible to select the species -29- most suitable Tor r-irplanes, and they showed that the variation in strength was so great as to render a considerable percentage of even the beat woods unsuitable. By a density requirement , it became possible to insure the selection of the strongest stock. 3y the admission cf specified defect:] in lightly stressed parts , it was possible practically to double the quan- tity of acceptable stock without sacrificing anything in safety. The latter problem involved little more than the application of data alraady available and the assignment of one man for a period of about three months. Many thousand men in the woods and at the mills would have been needed to produce the same quantity of spruce. One country lost many plane3 in flight because spiral-grained spruce was used in construction. Forest Service tests prevented similar losses for the United States by shewing where the lino between straight and spiral- grained material could bo drawn safely . Little wa3 known at the beginning cf the war on the strength of plywood as a material. The need for this information was supplied very rapidly by an extensive eeries of tests which became the basis of ail of the present plywood specifications and of ply- wood strength factors used in airplane design by both the Army and the Navy. In addition, the tests made it possible to adopt with safety the utiiiaation of mere species than had originally oeen thought suitable and thus prevented the supply of p n yw-od from becoming, aa it might easily have become, a factor controlling airplane production. Further applications of strength data were found in the design of wing beams and wing ribs, laminated wing beams, for example , offer the opportunity to utilize a much larger per cent of the spruce cut, a per- centage far toe low at the best. Special supplemental tests developed -30- types of laminated and spliced wing bears rs strong as the solid wing beam of the first planes , and the types developed have been adopted by the Army and Navy. Aa an example of the special supplemental tests on v/ing ribs nay be cited those for an American combat plane produced in large numbers. The weight of the standard rib was: reduced by one-third and the strength per unit of weight was increased three times . The wing so developed was adopted and similar designs were developed for six other Army and Navy planes . Strength tests have a. further application in ship timber, and thia and other information served as a basis, fcr a comprehensive series of recom- mendations to the American Bureau of Shipping and the Fleet Corporation on the specifications to be followed in the selection of timber. Special tests of boxes were needed to supplement the strength test9 of wood as a material. Fortunately, methods and special testing equipment had been developed before the war. In some specifications which involved the con- struction of hundreds of thousands of boxes, the number of roods permitted was increased from 1 to 30. It became possible to use the woods at hand and to make full use of the facilities of box-making plants wherever they might be. In addition, nailing, strapping, and construction in goneral were standardized and adapted to the very severe war requirements in over- seas shipments. Redesigns saved enormous quantities of cargo space. Large sum3 were joved in initial coots, losses since July 1, 1918, at ports of arrival in France are reported officially to be only 15 per cent of those before July 1. -21- Timle r "y ^-ti y ;iv,l 'reduction. Another general class of problems of first importance dealt with timber supplies and production. A general survey tiras made of the timber resources of the United States in order to make sure that supplies of woods should not be dangerously reduced before provision could be mads for substitutes. The best data available were maintained on requirements as compared with current production, and similar data were secured con- cerning the forest resources of ether countries . For special woods and for special purposes, much more intensive studies were required. It was not sufficient to be able to furnish data on the properties, conditioning., and uses of wood in airplanes . If it became necessary to select substi- tutes for spruce, knowledge as to supplies, quality, current production, and the extent to which production could be increased was necessary on those woods which, from the standpoint of properties alone, seemed to meet requirements. The program on airplane woods included field studies of the eastern spruce, practically equivalent to the Sitka spruce of the Northwest, and such other possible substitutes a3 Fort Orford cedar, Douglas fir, eastern white pine, Norway pine, western white pine, yellow poplar, western hemlock, silver, nolle, white, and lowland fir, and even- sugar pine, cypress, redwood, and western yellow nine. The work on eastern spruce was being followed up intensively by the Navy, but work on many of the other species was far in advance of immediate requirements. Black walnut is the accepted gunstock wood. It had been cut heavily for years. Production was not meeting requirements. It became necessary, therefore, in cooperation with the States and other forestry agencies and the Bey Scouts, to make a field survey throughout practically the entire t-32- range of this tree. Hew sources of supply rere found, new producers were interested, and processes of manufacture inspected and supervised to in- sure the most efficient cutting of the material; for it mu9t be remembered that the black walnut was almost equally needed for airplane propellers. Fortunately, the requirements for these two purposes could be reconciled. Production was more than doubled. The supply of black walnut was no longer a critical problem when the armistice was signed. Two or three years more of war might, however, have required the use of substitutes. Demand for tonnage in the transportation of food, munitions and armies left none for the imports of tannin on which the United States had depended. It became necessary to increase domestic production, and, as a basis for this, a field survey made by the Forest Service indicated necessary lines of action for individual plants throughout practically the entire region of tannin production. Various economic questions relating to lumber, pulp, ana other im- portant forest and wood-using industries were studied in order to keep in touch with developments in the industries, to anticipate difficulties, and .to provide Government organizations with the information which they might need for administrative action. 'Badly needed materials, such as a satis- factory coating for airplane propellers and waterproof glues primarily for plywood, were developed, as were also methods of inspection and certifica- tion for glues in general. Material assistance was given in the technical training of men, for which always the demand far exceeded the supply. Protection of Tunnels and Bridges. Cne of the first steps on the part of the Forest Service field of- ficers en the entrance of the United States into the war was to assume, -33- in part, the protection of the mean? of communication useful for military purposes in the les3 accessible portions of the country. The forest rangers were well fitted f or this work. They added to their regular duties the protection of tunnels and bridges of the larger railroads. Particular attention was given also to the protection of the water sup- plies of the various municipalities that had the major portion of their water-supply system in the more remote parts of the mountains . The wide distribution of the field men through the smaller communi- ties made them peculiarly useful in assisting the various campaigns of patriotic but nonmilitary character, which played so important a part in the general scheme. The field men assisted in the extension of the food and fuel organiza- tions and, in many instances, served active3.y as members of the local, county and even State organizations . The close relations existing between the utilization of the agricultural, grazing, and timber resources and the interests of the communities made it desirable that the Forest officers be actively associated with these efforts. The results obtained in this respect came up fully to expectations and brought full compensation to the men in the satisfaction of knowing that their extra efforts were suc- cessful. Not the least important was the affiliation of many of the men with the Four Minute Men organization. The Forest officers thus affiliated were able, in connection with their regular field trips, to carry the messages of the Four Minute Men into isolated communities, which would not have been done otherwise . -34- In the early period of the war, when the War College had no appropria- tion for a corps, cf translators and the urgent need existed for informa- tion from foreign sources , several members of the Washington Office cf the Forest Service conversant with various languages organised a volunteer corps of translators. Within the range of this corps came Russian, French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Scandinavian lanruar.es. The papers trans- lated covered many subjects on which information gathered from actual war experience by other nations was urgently needed for the training and equip- ment of the Army. The subjects ranged all xhe way from artillery practice to the training of pki^misher3 and fror. aiming tombs from airplanes to the training of dogs for war purposes. In connection with the organization of the ICth Engineers (Forestry) a vocabulary of French and English forestry and lumber terms was compiled, mimeographed, and bound in handy form. Eecause of the particular fitness and previous training of some members of the Washington office in Prussian matters, much information wa3 given to the State Department, the Military Intelligence, and particularly to the inquiry on the Russian situation , especially during the early part of the war. Forest Specialists in Military Service. The varied character of the field work cf the Forest Service is such that a large number of the men are specialists in lines for which there was considerable need in the military service. It was with increased dif- ficulty, therefore, that men were held to their regular duties with the Forest Service when calls to active military service were made for men of such special qualifications. -35- Tc meat the situation thus created, every effort was made xo reduce the work of the Forest Service to the lowest possible ooint where there would he no interference with the maintenance of a skeleton organisation ablu tc carry on the essential work without danger to the National Forests. Ly such reduction it was possible to relieve for military duty a large number of specially qualified men. Host of the men released entered the engineer- ing branches and the largest number were assigned to the 10th and 20th En- gineers . Immediately after this country entered the war, a call was made on the Forest Service by the War Department for assistance in the organization of engineering trecps specially qualified for operations in the woods. The absolute necessity fcr this had 1 "eer. realized by the Allies and it was at their suggestion that such troops were recruited. The services of the Forester were tendered to the *.7ar Department and accepted. In order to get the intimate information absolutely necessary, he at once proceeded to France and made a study of conditions. As a result, a special staff organisation was perfected in France. It was drawn tc a considerable extent from the higher officers of the Forest Service and in- cluded an Assistant Forester and a District Forester. This staff formulated the plan of work in France and made the necessary preparations in advance of the arrival of the forestry troops from this country. The entire personnel of the Forest Service played a part in recruit- ing the forestry regiment which was designated the 10th Engineers (Forestry; . The splendid record of this body of men has been a great saoi.jiaox.ion and the success attained is without doubt due to the careful manner in which the personnel for the regiment was selected. -36- The officers and men were chosen after very careful consideration cf their qualifications for work in the woods. Particular attention was given to their character and standing. It was only after the closest scrutiny that the men were accepted for this specialized service. This regiment and the 20th Engineers, organized later, had assigned to then the task of furnishing the forces in France with the necessary -;iraber supplies from the French forests. They supplied "building material for the various docks , roads , and supply depots that were built to handle the men and supplies shipped into France, and furnished considerable ma- terial needed by trie combatant forces at the front. New Ranges Opened for Stock Grazing. The imperative need of the country for the greatest possible produc- tion of meats, hide3 , and wool was partially met by the Forest Service by making provision for carrying increased numbers of stock on the ranges. This was accomplished by opening new ranges hitherto not used for grazing purposes and by the placing of larger numbers of stock on ranges already under use. The latter placed a very heavy tax on the carrying capacity of the range and, without the most skillful handling of the situation by the Forest Service, it might have resulted in such severe damage to the ranges an to require a long period for recovery. The most careful con- sideration was given to this matter by the grazing experts and there is every feeling of confidence that no permanent damage resulted. These efforts permitted the increase in the number of animals allowed to graze on the National Forests by about 1,063,000 head. Considerable cooperation was given the War Department by field of- ficers . particularly in the Western States , in which the National Forests - 37 - are situated, in collecting and compiling all kinds of data needed for military maps. Special attention was given to information relating to the means of communication. Notation was made of available food sup- plies, water resources, areas adaptable for the growing of crops, and regions needing special protection. The facilities of the drafting room and photographic laboratory wers very heavily drawn on by many of the bureaus of t:.e War Department riot adequately equipped to make maps or reprodv.ee existing maps in quan- tities to meet the demands. Train Foresters i n Fran ce . Two representatives of the Forest Service were appointed by the President as members of the National Research Council. Advice has been given on a number cf forest problems and connections established between investigative work in forest, chemical, physical, and similar problems. Plans were prepared for reorganizing the training of forestry for war purposes, for the use of cut-over land, and for professional and voca- tional training of foresters in France. Every effort was made by the Forest Service to stimulate in the Northwest the production of lumber from Sitka spruce for the Bureau of Aircraft Production. The spruce occurs on but a few forests. It is found on the Olympic National Forest in Washington, the Suislaw Forest 5n Oregon, and the Tcn~asa in Alaska, i'ales aggregating about 4-0,000,- 000 board feet -vere made. T T.se of Wood for Fuel Soon after the entrance of the United States into the War it be- came apparent that there was to be a serious coal shortage, especially of -38- ac-"G3 J :ic coal. The Forest Service felt that a campaign to stimulate the production and use of wood for fuel would be a patriotic nova, and would at the same time fit into the regular forestry work since it rould give an opportunity to market a great deal of inferior wood. Circular 79, Office of the Secretary, "Emergency Fuel from the Farm Woodland , " was is- sued and was followed by other publications. A wood fuel program was presented to the Fuel Administration by the Forest Service, and wan par- tially adopted. Under this plan the Forest Service supplied the Fuel Administration with a number of foresters to organize xhe wood campaign in the various States . The plan followed was to get the Fuel Administrator for a State to appoint a State wood fuel committee. On this committee the State For- eoter, professor of forestry at the agricultural college, and the director of the extension service wore usually members. This committee, in 3oma cases, organized similar county committees in which the county agent or a representative of the farm bureau acted as chairman. By a campaign of publicity through posters, the press, and local meetings, much publicity was given to the need of wood. Wood-cutting bees and cut-a-cord clubs to popularize the cutting of wood among people with idle time, were organized in certain sections. In some regions municipal woodyards or war wood- fuel companies wers formed to guarantee a fair price for the producers and an adequate supply for consumers. It is estimated that as. a result c r this work, the consumption of wood was increased at least 10 per cent, which me?ns a saving of aDout 7,500,000 tons of coal, or about 7 per cent of the coal used domestically. -39- In the latter part of the war a considerable body of statistic and other information on forest and water resources of the world was gathered by the Forest Service and codified for the use of peace delegates. -40- THE BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. In two principal waya the Bureau of Animal Industry contributed to the power of the United States in its war with Germany. Trained and - qualified members of the bureau served directly with the various military branches of the Government. Moot of these men were veterinarians and skilled inspectors, or they had other technical knowledge which made their services especially valuable. A larger though less dramatic contribution was a readjustment of the bureau's organization and the introduction of "high gears" in activities where speedy results "/ere essential to proper support of the battle lines. Meat Inspection Division. One of the first branches of the bureau affected directly by the entry of the United States into the war was the Meat Inspection Division. Shortly after a state of war was declared , the War Department requested the Federal Meat Inspection Service to reinspect the meat and meat food products furnished the various cantonments, forts, camps and other places , to protect the health of the troops, by insuring that the meats originated at establishments operating under Federal meat inspection, that the supply accepted by the Army had not deteriorated after leaving the packing plants, and that it otherwise conformed to the Army specifications. At the time of actual issue to the troops another reinspection was made by bureau inspectors to insure that the meats had not deteriorated since they were received at the camp, fort, or similar place. Sixty-seven inspectors were assigned to the work. The quantity of meat and meat-food _/!"). products inspected waa 342,626,972 pounds, of which 4,335,035 pounds was rejected . Similar arrangements were made with the Navy Department and consisted in inspecting all meat and meat-food product? at the time of preparation in official establishments to see that they were prepared in accordance with Navy specific at ions . A re inspection to see that no moats which had deteriorated while in storage or transit were accepted was made at navy yards and other points where Navy vessels were supplied with food. Ad- ditional inspectors were detailed in the establishments operating under Federal meat inspection. This service inspected 194,453,654 pounds of meat and meat-food products for the Navy, of which 5,453,966 pounds was rejected. By special request of the Navy DopartmQnt , representatives of the I.'eat Inspection Division also inspected poultry, fish, oysters, clams, dairy products, and ether food commodities. Px"otectir.g Ileat SupiJ?;» fror - ! Z^wy. n .r. abion . To protect the military meat supply from possible contamination by unscrupulous persona, special and continuous supervision "was maintained and chemical analyses made of the finished. products before delivery. Shortly after x he declaration of war, the service inaugurated a food- conservation movement in raeat- packing establishments with the view of eliminating food wastes, avoiding the use of edible products for inedible purposes, and adopi^ng 3uch measures as would prevent spoilage of meat from avoidable causes by discovering the causes and bringing them to the attention of the proper officials of the establishment, which rjaulted in a very substantial saving of food. f 42 - The orders of the United States Food Administration, the rr ar Trade Boerd, and the War Industries Board applicable to the rrest industry were given special attention with a view of making them effec- tive. A great mass of statistics and other information requested by other Government organisations was furnished. For the first time in tho history of the bureau, women were appoint- ed to assist in meat-inspection work at the pecking houses because men were rot available. The plan prc\-sd so successful that a civil service register of women elipible for appointment in such positions has been established. Stim ulating Food Production. The Eureau of Animal Industry has always been largely a field organ- ization, with its personnel widely distributed in the producing areas or stationed at live-stock market certers. Such an organization naturally adapted itself quickly to the critical need for propaganda in food production. Active propaganda in xhe production of pork, poultry, beef, mutton and wool was carried on by the Animal Husbandry Division in cooperation with the States Relations Service and agricultural colleges. The Division cooperated also with the War Department in providing for the breeding of mares purchased in connection with war activities. The appropriation for the emergency 'vcrk became available so late that little time was left in which to organize the campaign to in- crease 1918 pork production, o f which IT per cent increase over 1917 wgs needed. It was possible, however, to make a rapid survey in cooperation with the Bureau of Crcp Estimates to determine the probable surplus of corn from the 1917 crcp and to alio i- on r,hat basxs the - 43 - increase in pork production warranted by the increase in the 1917 corn crop. The increase recommended varied from 5 per cent in States like Georgia and West Virginia to. 25 per cent in Iowa and Kansas, ana 50 per cent in Missouri. An appeal was made direct to the agricultural colleges of the States in which increases were requested, especially in the Corn Pelt, for the loan of men to te used in the campaign. In addition, considerable numbers of men were added to the pig-club force and placed mainly in the Southern States, naturally the greetest increase was expected in the Corn Belt, and in that section the co- operating extension divisions used two systems: one wae to organize strong speaking campaigns, the speakers being practical pork pro- ducers and successful farmers. The campaign was put on intensively just before the fall breeding season began in 1 C T7. The other system was to conduct an extensive campaign through the medium of country bankers and the country press as well as countv agents. Frequent con- ferences and actual personal touch with farmers were important parts of this sytem. In the spring of 1216 the breeding propaganda was followed by. a campaign to save pigs at farrowing time. As a result of these efforts, the estimated total number of hogs on hand January 1, 1218, wae 70,978,000 compared with 67,503,000 on January 1, 1917, an increase of 5.1 per cent. The estimated number of hogs on hand January 1, 1915, was 75,587,000, an increase of C.5 per cent over January 1, 1218, and an increase of nearly 12 per cent over January 1, 1917. In addition to the actual numerical increase, farmers fed hogs for more weight in 1913 and added materially to the pork output in this way. The average v/eight of hogs on the Chicago market in 1919 was 234 pounds - 44 - as again9t 212 pounds in 1917, an increase of practically 10 per cent. Pig-club enrollment increased greatly during 1218, approximately 75,000 boys and girls participating in the work during the year. Emergency Poultry Campaign Since actual work to increase poultry production did not need to begin until the early spring of 1918, it was possible to organize this project more thoroughly than the emergency ioork-production project. In starting and conducting the emergency poultry campaign, the following facts were foremost in mind: 1. That the primary purpose was to secure an increased production of both poultry and eggs largely for domestic consumption in order to release red meat for export. 2. That this increased production was needed at the earliest possible time. 3. That an increase could be best realized from the farm flocks and from that section of the country where poultry keeping is most extensively carried on. The country was divided into four districts and district agents stationed at Chicago, Kansas City, Oklahoma City and Los Angeles, to supervise the territory assigned. The poultry-production program had nine features as follows: 1. Keep better poultry. 2. Select vigorous breeders. 3. Hatch the chicks early. 4. Preserve egg3 for home use, 5. Produce infertile egps.for market. 6. Cull the flocks. 7. Keep a back-yard flock. 8. Grow your own poultry feed. 9. Eat more poultry and eggs. The slogan of the campaign was "100 hens on every farm and 100 eggs from every hen." Supplementing the organization of paid employees, the division obtained a great deal of assistance from voluntary helpers, most of them members of the American Poultry Association. These local leaders were selected, to cooperate with the State poultry specialist and the county agent to relieve the latter officer of details of the poultry campaign. In a number of instances the same purpose war met by appoint- ing a poultry representative on the local farm-bureau committees. At present there are over 5,000 such local leaders. The service of these people has resulted in enormously multiplying the effectiveness of the poultry specialists in the extension organization. The campaign for preserving eggs for home use has been unusually successful. Fully twice re man;/ e possible to brine this information speedily to the attention of farmers throughout the United States. At the outbreak of the war, the importance of maintaining as nearly as possible a normal production cf sugar was recognized. The world's production and consumption of sugar were nearly balanced. As the war was being waged in the sugar-beet areas in Belgium, France, Russia, and Italy, where large numbers of mills were destroyed end the fields were rendered unfit for beet culture, it was apparent that there would be p world shortage. The mainte- nance of sugar production became at once b serious war problem. - 75 - Beet-Supar Production VJhile considerable progress was ntnH^ ir» incrpasinp; the cane-sugar production in the Southern States, the most premising field for the solution of the sugar-production problem seemed to lie in the beet-sugar areas. This was due, in part, to the larger extent of the sugar-beet area as compared with the cane area and the consequent possible, increased acre- age of beets and, in part, to the possibility of increasing the sugar production per acre. The problem was attacked frcm the standpoint of a larger acreage, better cultural methods, control of pests, and an adequate supply of high-grade sugar-beet seed. The office of Sugar-Plant Investigations cooperated with the farmers in the sugar-beet areas, with the beet-sugar companies, and with all State and national agencies interested in food production. As a result of those combined efforts, the largest acreage of beets ever planted in the United States was seeded in 1917. Unfortunately, unfavorable weather and labor conditions prevailed in certain localities, and an abnormally high percentage of the fields were abandoned, however, the crop yielded approximately 750,000 tons of sugar, which tided over a period that other- wise would have bordered upon a sugar famine. The 1918 acreage devoted to beets was somewhat reduced, owing to the demands upon the farmers for such crops as wheat, potatoes, and beans, and the high prices of these commodities. On the whole, the gr overs responded generously to the call for sugar-beet acreage, with the result that an area in excess of the previous 5-year average was planted. ''leather and labor conditions were more nearly normal than in 1917, and only a 3mall percentage of the acre- age was abandoned. A sugar crop nearly equal to that of 1917 was pre- - 76 - duceci, again greatly relieving the sugar stringency. All sugar produced within the United States relieved to that extent shipping facilities badly needed for other purposes. When it becrrae apparent that there would be an actual shortage in the world's production amounting to several million tons, the problem of con- serving sugar became a matter of serious consideration. To meet this sit- uation, attention was given to the production of various forms of sirups. Efforts were made, with gratifying results, to stimulate the production of cane sirup. Attention was given to increased plantings, to better methods of banking cane, to the ontrol of cane pests, to improved cultural methods, and to improved methods of making cane sirup on the farm. Attention was called in 19.17 tc a serious cane disease in Porto Pico, which has since been found in this country. An emergency appropriation was made by Congress for its study and control. An experienced man was sent to Porto Rico to cooperate with the local agencies in the control of the pest. Extension of the Sor ghum nin-h Industry An appropriation was made in 1917 for bhe study and extension of the sorghum-sirup industry. Prior to the war, the estimated scrghum-sirup pro- duction was about 13,000,000 gallons a year. The estimated production was more than 30,000,000 gallons in 1917 and nearly as much in 1918. The production of maple sugar and sirup was greatly increased over the prewar figures. In cooperation with the Fureau of Chemistry, a palatable sirup was made from sugar beots. Thousands of families supplied themselves in part with sweets frcm one or more of these sources, thereby conserving large quantities of sugar. The field men of the office of Dry-Land Agriculture located at L!4 - 7? - field stations in the Great Plains were conducting investigations in methods of crap production under dry -lard conditions wbe - e cereal produc- tion is the chief agricultural industry, They were therefore in a position to assist in many ways in increasing crop production. in response to a request received through the French High Commission to tiiR United States, t-he heads of the offices of Alkali and Drought Resist- ant Plant Investigations, Dry-Land Agriculture Investigations, and Western Irrigation Agriculture visited Algeria du. ing September and October, 1917, to ascertain conditions as to food -crop production in that colony and in what manner the United States could cooperate toward increasing or stabilizing production. ! >'uch work ^as done in assembling dsta on the botanical resources of Africa and in preparing a map of that continent showing the principal zones cf natural vegetation as indicating the crop capabilities of the different sections. The Bureau of Plant Industry, through the office of horticultural and Penological Investigations, did much to stimulate the development of home vegetable gardening during the period, of war. Special bulletins were issued for the North and for the South on city gardens. A soeciul series of articles for use in magazines and papers was distributed, through the Office of Information. A special agent "^as employed jointly with the States Re- lations Service for handling vegetable-gardening information through State leaders and county agents. Special advice was furnished county agents and leaders of States in which large quantities of vegetables suitable for stor- aj were produced. Suggestions regarding the cooperative handling of the products of community gardens through p.il] owners : -n^- others were carried out. - 78 - Special attention was riven to the utilization of vegetable forcing planto, to minimize fuel consumption, and to produce maximum crops. Advice regarding the use of fuel by greenhouse operators Bor both vegetables and flowers was furnished the Fuel Administration, and advice concerning crop rotations was given to vegetable gravers. Supe rvise Agricu ltu ral ". r ork at C a ntonme nts Around practically all the Army cantonments there were considerable areas not used for military purposes, but which could be used for the production of food and feed. Mter conference with tne Quartermaster's Office, a member of the staff of the office of Horticultural and P analogical Investigations was assigned to this work under commission and, until the close of hostili- ties, supervised agricultural work at the cantonments. In this way, several thousands of acres of land were profitably cultivated. The same agencies also cooperated in the development of cold-storage facilities at the camps. The landscape gardener of the Eureau of Plant Industry assisted the Army and Wavy in laying out grounds used for recreation at camps, hospitals, and other places. In connection with reconstruction work for soldiers at the various hos- pitals, many suggestions were furnisned by the War Department as to agricul- ture! occupation. Previous to the outbreak of the war, seme attention had been given to the drying of vegetables, including potatoes, and this wort was undertaken on a larger scale in this country for the benefit of the English and French Armies soon after the beginning of the war in Europe. Anticipating the Bhortage of food crops, investigations were made to determine the compara- tive value of the simpler types of drying apparatus for handling fruit and - 79 - vegetable products. Demonst rati one were carried on in several counties in Jew York State where potatoes were available in abundance anc 1 where fruit- irying houses were located. Py slightly modifying the construction of these iiouses and employing mechanical peeling and slicing devices, it was possible to produce a dried potato which, when ground in the ordinary feed mills available to the country districts, turned out a potato meal that gave very satisfactory results in the manufacture of yeast breads. Salvaging of Fruit and Vegetable Cr ops Instruction was given in the salvaging of fruit and vegetable crops which could not be satisfactorily marketed because of the lack of transporta- tion facilities. In regions where there were large crops of perishable fruits which could be dried either by means of the sun or special equipment detailed demonstrations were made. In addition to participation in the general war activities of the de- partment, the Chief of the Bureau was designated a mem bar of a commission of four to determine the values of property taken by Presidential proclamation in Harford and Baltimore counties, Vd. , for the establishment of the Aberdeen Proving Ground and Edgewood Arsenal. The tract involved comprised somewhat more than 40,000 acres of 3 and fronting on Chesapeake Eay and its tributary rivers, including the homes of some 3,000 people, numerous highly improved farms, canning factories, schools, and churches, as well ps several of the leading duck-shooting grounds of the Middle Atlantic coast and a large area of forest land. The urgency of the munition situation overseas required the utmost expedition in the clearing of the tract of its inhabitants, which was practically accomplished between October 25 and December 31, 1917, under conditions involving a minimum of financial loss and physical hardship to - so - them. In August, September, and October, 1918, the Chief of the bureau, as a member of an Agricultural Commission designated by the Secretary of Agriculture, investigated agricultural conditions in Great Britain and France to secure information needed in shaping the crop-production program, for 1$)19. The results attained were briefly summarized in the report of the Agricultural Commission to Europe, published by the de- partment on January 17, 19*9 • For the last two years the Associate Chief of the Bureau of Plant Industry has served as Secretary of the Agricultural Committee of the National Research Council, which committee also served as Agricultural Advisory Committee to the Council of National Defense, 81 - THE BUREAU OF CHEMISTRY Chemistry is one of the most important sciences, if indeed it does not, stand absolutely first in this regard, in the conduct of modern war- faro. Naturally, therefore, the Bureau of Chemistry of the United States Department of Agriculture, having a large taff of trained chemists and being equipped to render service along many lines, was called upon to perform a great deal of war work immediately after the beginning of hos- tilities. These lines of work took about six main forms, - conserving essential materials, preparing specifications for materials of war, -testing supplies for the Army and Navy, making technical investigation of war problems, and service in consultation and or committees. From the outset, very many, loth: of old agencies and new ones created for the performance of specific war tasks, called on the Bureau of Chemis- try for assistance. The Food Administration asked for aid in creating its organization, in gathering data regarding food supplies, and in technical advice regarding manufacturing processes and possible substitutes for foods. A large number of men were detailed from the Bureau of Chemistry to the Food Administration for important tasks. Among them were experts in baking and the use of flour substitutes, in the conservation of fats and oils and in various other lines of food conservation. The Bureau of Chemistry organized the bakery inspection service of the Food. Administra- tion and, through the use of its own and State cooperative organizations, -32 - made it possible to enforce the regulations regarding the conservation of flcur months before this result would have been possible in B.ny other way. Depa rtin o- rt Chemists P r ompt to Aid "any of the War boards and other agercies called on the Bureau of Chemistry for specialists and for technical advice, and detailed members of their own staffs to the Bureau to receive instruction in technical methods. Among the organizations with which one or more of these forms of cooperation was maintained are the War Trade Board, the Pailroad Administration, the Bureau of Aircraft Production, the Council of National Defense, the Quarter- master Corps of the Army, the Ordnance Fureau, the Camouflage Section of the Engineer Corps, the Chemical Warfare Service, the Sanitary Corps of the Army, and the Gas Warfare Service. Chemical apparatus, pharmacological apparatus, chemicals and scientific materials, which could not have been obtained through regular channels without months of delay, were furnished to the various war agencies, and laboratory space and facilities were pieced at their disposal. One of the most important lines of war work and one in which the numerous agencies of the Government cooperated, was the conservation of essential maTerials. In the various kinds of work done along this line by the Depart- ment of Agriculture, none' was of greater or of more far reaching importance than those carried on by the Bureau of Chemistry. Eefore the outbreak of the war, the Bureau of Chemis r \ rv had given mu en attention to conserving tin plate. The problem became acute at the be- ginning of the war, since the impending scarcity of containers would have interfered seriously with the preservation of the various perishable food products of this country. The Secretaries of Agriculture and Commerce, in - 83 - cooperation with a committee representing the manufacturers o f tin plate, manufacturers of cane, packers of perishable and nonperishable feeds and other interested parties, took up questions of policy in this matter and made recommendations to the industries, curtailing the pack of certain non- perishable commodities. The Chief of the Bureau of Chemistry w as desig- nated as the representative of the Department of Agriculture on this com- mittee. The tin plate committee "/as able to effect a great conservation of tin plate for use in preserving more perishable products and preventing, as far as possible, congestion of the transportation facilities and related difficulties which would have followed if unrestricted canning of all sorts had continued. As soon as the Food Administration and the Priorities Hoard were created, the work which had been previously dene by the tin plate can- mittee was handled with ample authority in lav/ by these two organizations. Ace tic Acid frcm Alcohol :n the recommendation of the Chief of the Bureau of Chemistry, an Interdepartmental Ammonia Committee was appointed to arrange for the con- trol of the production and distribution of ammonia in this country. He wa3 appointed a member of the committee, The licensing and execution of this control was carried on by the Food Administration. It was a matter of much importance, since an equitable distribution of ammonia was necessary if both the refrigeration and explosive requirements of the country were to be met. Methods were suggested to certain industries as to possible means of conserving ammonia. On the recommendation of the Bureau of Chemistry, steps were taken to control the distribution of arsenic and related compounds . A committee - 84 - was appointed for this purpose. This action led to the licensing of the arsenic industry by the Food Ad-'inictrettion. The control of these products was necessary so that neither the loss cf focds by the lack of insecticides and fungicides nor the crippling of the program for gas warfare service should occur for the lack of arsenic. Analysis was made of a large number of insecticides for use for different military purposes. An investigation was conducted by the Food Control Laboratory to de- velop practical methods for the conversion of alcohol into acetic acid. At one time, the control by the Far Department of the acetic acid supply threat- ened to make it impossible for Paris green to be manufactured. The Bureau of Chemistry assisted in introducing the use of distilled vinegar for the manufacture of Paris green instead of acetic acid, thus insuring a sufficient supply of this essential insecticide. The Focd Control Laboratory furnished information to the National Re- search Council relative to certain fermentation processes, especially the production of acetone by fermentation. At the request of the Surge en General's office and the War Industries Board, a careful study was undertaken by the Phyt o- Chemi cal Laboratory of the plants in the United States available for the preparation of caffeine on a commercial basis. Considerable work was done by the Food Control Laboratory in coopera- tion with the Food Administration in regard to garbage disposal and utiliza- tion. • 85 - Many Hew Food P rocesses Prea e nted Information wa3 furnished the Food Administration relative to the brewing of basr in order to assist in the program of conserving grains. Information was furnished the United States Shipping Board relative to the domestic production and consumption of fusel oil. An investigation was made at the request of the Quartermaster Corps of the Army of the effect of calcium mono-phosphate in an aluminum pr. phate baking powder to ascertain the practical leavening results of the presence of lime phosphate when mixed in amounts frcra 1 to 10 per cent. A research was conducted for a cellulose acetate solvent for use in airplanes . A study was made of the determination of seme of the forms oi nitrogen in explosives and an exact method "'as developed for the determination of nitrogen in organic combinations. During the war period, the Carbohydrate Laboratory was active in the investigation of a number of new sources of supply of sweet sirups to re- lieve the sugar shortage caused by the war shipping situation. A very palatable and satisfactory sirup was prepared from raisins. Fairly satis- factory sirups were prepared from the juices expressed from green corn stalks and by the acid hydrolysis of sweet potato starch. A number of other sources were investigated, including sctol, a desert plant native to the a.rid regions of the sout'w/ept. Investigations were conducted looking toward the stimulation of th*e use of fresh fish in inland cities in order to conserve meat and other nitrogenous food products. Improved method? for shipping fish were de- veloped. In the State of California, considerable work was done toward ■• 86 - introducing improved methods in preserving the fish native to the Facific Coast. As a result of this work, this fish industry has became established on the Facific Coast, The use of fish has been stimulated and bettor methods for packing, shipping ard handling it have been introduced to the trade . Sub stitutes for Fl our and Sugar An extensive educational campaign was conducted to introduce into more general use the improved methods developed by the Food Fesea.rch Laboratory of the Bureau of Chemistry for the handling, packing and shipping of poultry and eggs. As a result, the loss of much poultry and large quantities of eggs »;aE prevented. Through cooperation with the Food Administration, State and City Food and "rug Inspectors, and the regulatory force of the Fureau of hei istry, a campaign to bring about the more genera] candling of eggs near points of production was inaugurated and carried on duri .; the period of the war. This? work not only prevented a loss of large quantities of eggs, but conserved shipping facilities-. The regulations issued by the Food Administration regarding flour sub- stitutes were based largely upon information furnished bv the Bureau of Chemistry. Experts had been working on flour substitutes for a number of years before the United States entered the war and were in a position to furnish the Focd Administration with specific formulas a3 to the proportions in which various substitutes coul'.d be used in baking. One of iheiii taught the Army cooks ho" to bake with various substitutes. Complete information on the subject was furnished commercial bakeries throughout the country. The work on flour substitutes was made known to the public generally - 87 - through tho popular publications of the Department of Agriculture; through lectures and demonstrations; through county agents of the Staxes delations Service, a large number of whan visited the bureau in regard to this work; and through conferences with the members of the Food Administration. The work had an important tearing on the saving of wheat that resulted from the measures adopted by the Food Administration, A great shortage of sugar necessitated a study cf other sweetening agents to replace sugar in the manufacture of soft drinks, "ver 100,000 tons oi sugar is used annually in the preparation of soft drinks. It was demonstrated by experiments in the Bureau of Chemistry that probably 50,000 tons of this sugar could be saved by utilizing other sweetening agents. After laboratory experiments bed demonstrated that this saving '.ould be effected, the information was furnished to the trade through articles pub- lished in trade journals, through lectures, and through the distribution of abcut 30,000 leaflets to bottlers and others interested. A great many commendations have been received from soft drink manufacturers regarding results which were ac ccrnplished, s.crre asserting that the timeliness of the information issued by the bureau saved the soft drink industry, representee 1 by 13,000 bottlers and a capital of '$250,000, 000, from great loss if not serious disaster. Fconomif:s in Fats and _0ils Investigations were made looking to the conservation of fats and oile which are not only a nec3ssary part of t ie food supply but occupy an im~ portant place in the manufacture of munitions, in the lubrication of air- craft engines, and in paints, varnishes and w^ter-proof ing compounds. One of the first rescurcer to feel tho effect of war was the stock of fats - eg - and oils. This was due to the imperative need for an e»c>rmous amount of nitro-gly eorin, one of the component parts of which is gylcerine obtained ao a by-product fran the manufacture of aoap from certain oils and fats, When it is considered that but one part of glycerine to every nine part3 of fatty acids or soap is produced from the oils and fats, it is not sur- prising that the price of glycerine in England soared fran $250 to $1,250 a ton within a very ehort time after the beginning of the war. Economies in the way of oils were recommended, Vegetable oils were used in ever increasing amount 3 to supplement the animal fats and oils, Some, like cottonseed oil, make a satisfactory substitute for part, at least, of the animal fats and such products as lard oil. Some of the less well- known vegetable oils, like peanut and corn, grew rapidly in publi c favor as substitutes for olive oil. Small butchers and farmers were urged to trim the animals they slaughtered closely to obtain all the fat possible for rendering as lard or tallow. The housewives wre urged to be as economical as possible in the use of animal fats. The question of recovering fatty matter fran garbage and trade waste was investigated. The use of hydro- genated cottonseed oil as a substitute for palm oil was studied. As a result of a large number of fires occurring in the cotton gins of the southwest, an investigation wan carried on to determine the cause or causes of these fires, and, if possible, to develop means of prevention, during the sear- on, 471 gins w-^re visited. It was found that 297 of ther^ gins had, during the season, a total of 607 fires. Among tne gins visited there were only 184 that had not had fires. During the course of the in- vestigation, as much information as possible was obtained from all the ginrj regarding the fires and the gensral conditions under which they had occurred. - 89 - Hatches are popularly supposed to be ths chief caose of these fires. However, as a result of two separate teats when over 500 matches were fed into cotton going into gins, no firos were cbcained in this section of the gin, and only four Bmall fire? ware obtained in the huller press. This in;-: cates that matches are r. • sponsible for the large number of fires credited to them. As a result of the investigation, it was determined that static electricity is probably the primary cause of th^ae fires. Million s Saved in Or a in a nd Gotten Fir a? Experiments were made to see if cotton would be ignited by static electricity and it was found that it would be readily ignited by a spark not over a quarter of an inch in length. During the season, over 25 gins in different sections of the country had been grounded to remove, if possible, the stat: c electricity generated in the normal process of ginning. Those which have reported shew conclusively -chat the: grounding has greatly de- creased the number of fires occurring in the gins. It is. believed that furtner investigations are necessary to salvo this problem conclusively. A campaign to prevent explosions of grain-dust originated in 1S18, follow- ing a disastrous explosion and fire in the Dow Storage Elevate, Prooklyn, ,vT ev York, in which a large quantity of grain vac destroyed ard considerable damage dona to property. Steps were taken to secure a competent organiza- tion of well trained men in order to carry or: this work. In o~aer t -. thor- oughly acquaint the grain trace throughout the country with + " results of the investigation which had "]}.'-■ i nee cause of the explosions, i aetings were held in the principal grain centers throughout the country. By means of lantern elides, motion pictures and miniature dust explosions, the re- - 90 - results v;er<. brought to the attention of fillers and grain men. Steps were taken to secure *Vir aRpistauoo and cooperation of the workmen. Plans were made for the field men to visit the mills and elevators throughout the country and present personally the work that tho department is doing and to impress upon the men the necessity for exercising precautions to prevent these explosions and fires. The results can be briefly summarized ss> follows: 1. The -;/or:: has been well reeei/ed by tho milling and grain trade and the department has had ec-oiva cooperation in the conduct of the campaign. 2. The campaign has resulted in the adoption of precautionary :..eaeur^n and the removal of dangerous condition? that would leaa to explosion and fire. 3. Active and hearty cooperation has been manifested by the workmen in their effort to assist the Government in conserving the food supply and thereby winning the war. 4. No explosions of ierge pro'oortioii? have occurred during the conduct of the campaign for a period of over 15 months, while during similar periods since the origin of the work in 1913 from one to six disastrous explosions have occurred in grain mills and elevators. 5. Th6 campaign has resulted in a reduction of the losses duo to fire and explosion and a grain journal recently stated that in 1918 there were 33 per cent fewer elevators destroyed by fire and about 44 per cent fewer damaged. 6. The field men during the campaign will have visited every mill in the country of ICO barrels and over capacity and every elevator of 50 , CCO bushels cr over capacity. As a result, dangerous conditions are re- moved and efforts made on the part of the companies to adopt the department r e c o mme ndat ions , . 7. Since the conserving of food and the furnishing of food to the Allies by America has been recognized as being responsible to a very lax degree in winning the war, it is "elt that this campaign was one cf the most active agencies in making it possible for the protection of grain in mills and elevators and the prevention of its destruction by fire a d explosion. - 91 - Grain Dust Expl osio ns Checke d A special educational campaign was conducted to acquaint threshermen and farmers in the grain growing sections of the country with the methods that had been developed by the department for the prevention of explosions and fires. About 30 specially equipped demonstrational and experimental machines were provided by the thresher companies and located in five grain growing sections during the threshing season. In addition to the special demonstrational equipment, a popular cir- cular, poster a.id correspondence card were prepared. This literature was given wide distribution through the States Relations Service and thresher agencies in order to bring to the attention of the threshermen the necessity for exorcising precautions against fire and explosions. Previous to the beginning of the' season, a large number of meetings were hold in the Pacific Northwest. The work was presented by means of lantern slides, motion pictures and dust explosion demonstrations. As a result of this special educational work, a large number of threshermen and farmers adopted precautions to reduce losses. The results of the thresher campaign may be summarized as follows: 1. Greater precautions were adopted during the 1918 season by the threshermen and farmers throughout the country to prevent these fires and explosions than in any previous season. 2. As a result of the campaign by the department the losses due to explosions and fires were greatly reduced and damage to large quantities cf grain accordingly prevented. 3. While it is impossible to estimate the amount of grain saved in bushels, it is felt that in conjunction with the work done by the Food Ad- ministration, a large quantity of grain was saved which would otherwise have been destroyed by fire, or lost from other causes. 4. The measures developed by the department for the prevention ai 3 . plosions and fires led to the possibility of improving the quality of grain during threshing and also the development of methods for the collection and disposal of smut spores, thereby diminishing the possibility of soil infesta- tion. PiUrJ£S£3i J .9 • L 1" 'ork Benef i ts Peace T imes The dehydration of fruits and vegetables is an important industry in •'. r ti ic and promises to become commercially important in times of peace. Before the United States entered the war, the Allies were in the market for large quantities oi dried food products and considerable study was made by the Bureau of Chemistry of erocessos for drying. The problems involved in the process of drying are principally those of securing scientific control of temperature, humidity and. air currents. When the United States entered the war, the great possible saving in shipping space and facilities by the use of dried vegetables was pointer out to the v/ar and Navy Departments. Because of an unfortunate experience which the Navy Department ! r, \ several years before with improperly dried food products, both departments were reluctant to use them. However, the acuteness oi the-shipping situation and evidence fur- nished by this bureau showing that food, when properly dried and packed, was both palatable and nu+ritious, later led the Army to buy large quantities of d r i e d v e ge t ab 1 e s . ' /. appropriation of 0250,000 was made by Congress in the Agriculture! appropriation act for the fiscal year 1919 which became, available in Octcl 1918, for investigations looking to the establishment of a commercial drying industry in th? United States, as well as tc make available sufficient dried foods for the Army, An officer was detailed from the Sanitary Corps of the Army to cooperate with the Lureau of Chemistry in directing this work. - r ;: - ahc 'Tar Department requested the Bureau o" Chemistry to recomnond i rials for waterproofing Array shoes. Pr cticallv e-.1I of tin . . rci; - waterp' jofing aa.teria.ls for leather which are in use ii this country were te >t< . their waterproofing qualities, and many samples both oi treated and v itr3 tec soles and xr.zol.es wez"e tested. Thin wor!< took the full timo oi three oi the analysts of the Le the- and Paper Laboratory. Few commercial w toro-oof ing materials hsd a high water roofing value and many "i them were direct! ■- harmful either t: the leather or to the sewing thread. It was ao- cesr.rry to prep-re new formulae. About sixty were devise:' a d and from these a number that proved satisfactory have "ocen adopted and used by the Ylar Department for the waterproofing of shoe leather. The bureau also recommended, preparations which were suitable both for shoe dubbings and for ointrents x c be usee for trench foot. Prose ryin r 3h< ■ u r toss The Ordnance Department requested assistance in finding leather which would stand the rip'- temperatures likely to occur in the recoil mechanism of guns . ere leather gas2:ets are immersed in heavy mineral oil at exceedingly higr temperatures. live ti gat ion showed that chrome tanned leather of a high chromium content end oi low moisture content would be satisfactory. The Brdnence Department, u reeult of the report of this work, secured leather that ■ - satisfactory for that purpose. Investigations were nade for the Quartermaster Corps and the Ordnanc Department on harness dr^ssin a .6 in finding substitutes foi .cat's iootj oil for this purpose. Extensive s vi ionts on the effect of tils, greases and waxes, and various experiments 0.. upper, sole and harness leathers were carried on. In addition to the value of this information for ,var purposes, - 34 - it will be of great use both to tanners and users of leather. Investigation was made of the effect of offensive gases on upper leather. The chemist in charge of the Leather and Paper Laboratory assisted the War (department in investigations on the waterproofing and mildewproof ing of fabrics. War Department contracts for such fabrics were let on the basis of the results of this investigation. The waterproofing and mildewproof ing formulas recommended by the bureau worked out on a commercial scale with highly gratifying results. At the request of the Conservation anc 1 Reclama- tion Division of the Quartermaster Corps, a member of the Leather and Paper Laboratory force visited several Quartermaster Depots of the Army to study water-proofing treatments and report methods which were being used. As u result, the methods of waterproofing were materially improved and. cheapened. Waterpr oofin g for Tents and Paper Investigation was made of adhesives for tent patching and, as a result, several preparations which had been found to be of exceptional merit were adopted and used by the Conservation and Reclamation Division in patching and repairing tents. An investigation was made for the Ordnance Department at the Nov.' York and Philadelphia depots, of waterproofing baling papers for overseas ship- ments. Goods were actually baled and the bales submitted, both dry and wet to severe handling. On the basis of the behavior of the waterproof paper and on laboratory tests, specifications for baling paper for overseas shipment were adopted by the War Department. The matter of baling and the use of waterproof papers for the purpose is one of yeat importance. It has been claimed by the War Department that baling of goods for the Army has saved at least half of the shipping space previously required, and that this saving - 95 - has been equivalent to $50,000,000 to the Government. Undoubtedly, bales will prove more economical than boxns for commercial goods. Llanufacturors of baling paper are taking up the matter of furnishing materials for baling commercial packages in the future. Recommendations were made for a paper to be used in wrapping tools and metal parts to prevent rusting in overseas shipments. Investigations were made on the manufacture of fiber containers us a substitute for steel for powder and other propellent charges. Large numbers of fiber containers for powder were purchased by the Ordnance Department. Careful investigation, however, developed that these would not be satisfactory for the purpose, since an increase of a fraction cf the percentage in the moisture content of the powder would entirely change the trajectory of the shell and cause it to fall short, thus perhaps exposing American soldiers to the fire of their own artillery. Re commendations wore prepared for several types of containers for the Favy Department. 'he Chemical Warfare Service sought the aid of the Bureau of Chemistry inaecuring suitable canister- fillers that were sufficiently porous for use in gas masks. A high grade blotting paper was furnished which was more satis- factory than anything that had been used and from which a satisfactory filling material for the absorption of gases was secured. An investigation was made for the Camouflage Section of the Engineer Corps of methods for fireproofing fabrics and vegetable matter used in camouflage work. Camouflage material is particularly liable to catch fire and thus reveal the location of supplies and forces on the battle field. - 95 - Gi ves Standard:; for v '-r Pure ^.ses Because of its long experience Ln teoting various materials for the Government departments , as well as foods, drugs and chemicals in its own work, the Bureau of Chemistry was in position at the outbreak of the war to aid the purchasing agencies of the War and tavy Departments in preparing specifications for many of the materials which it was necessary for them to purchase. The preparation of specifications that will enable the Government to secure the kinds o*" materials needed in- every purpose is a work of vital importance, especially when the Government has to buy immense quantities from different sources and from people who have vague ideas of the purposes for which the materials are to be used. Without adequate specifications, the Government would have been supplied with immense quantities of goods which would not answer the purpose, causing much loss in time, materials and trans- portation facilities. Assistance was rendered the Quartermaster Corps in preparing specifications for food products, since the bureau had accumulated in connection with its work in the enforcement of the Food and Drugs Acts much data in reference xo definitions and standards for foods. In addition to preparing specifications for supplies, the Bureau of Chemistry was called upon to analyze and test many articles of supplies fur- nished to the Army and Navy. The Quartermaster Corps of the Army, in the beginning, desired to organize its own testing laboratories but after a short time abandoned this plan and called upon the Bureau of Chemistry, to test such foods as required chemical analysis. All the field laboratories of the bureau located in the trade centers throughout the United States, as well as the laboratories in Washington, were male available for this purpose. A laboratory was installed in Atlanta, Ga. , for the sole purpose of testing foods for the kmy. The bureau had act only well equipped laboratories and a large staff of experienced food and drag analysts, but by years of experience had developed the most efficient and economic methods of analysis for all ordinary food products. As it was necessary to continue at the sane time the analytical work involved in the enforcement of the Jood and Drugs Act, the Quartornaatcr Corps detailed a number of chemists: to the labor- atories whore most needed to assise, in the testing of foods. This work was given precedence ove:~ all other testing work, and recorts wore made as prompt- ly as practicable. A large number of other articles were tested. The Hiscellaneous Labor- atory made tests of insecticides for the various branches of Military Service. Analyse^ were made of a large number of soft drinks for use in military camps. Tests were mace of hm-ness leathers for the War Department ,' greases and tanning materials for the Quartermaster Corps, the castor oil and beano imported into this country for the bureau of Aircraft' Production , the effi- ciency of various photograr^ic chemicals, tin foils and collapsible tubes for the War Industries Bo^.~g, food cans mace from untinned steel and treated by a rust-proofing process, castor bean hulls to determine if they contained potash in available quantities for the Aviation Corp3. Aid for Airplane Ph ot ogra phy The following list of materials tested by the Iviieroeheumcal Laboratory will illustrate the great variety of products handled by the bureau, although it dors not include all suhstances tested by ot^er laboratories: Leans, bread, cakes, cookies, candy, cereals, cheese, chewing gum, cocoa, cloths, coffee, corn, cream, di-ugs, emergency rations, fish flour and meal, foot - 98 - powder s hospital gauze, glass, hair from life preservers, ice cream and i, LriE ;cticides, jams, midd] . .:. a3 des , oakum, paper, peanut butter, pudding, salad dressing, soaps, spices, starch, stock feed, sugar, sweet potatoes, tapioca, tomato products, twine, ir.d yeast. To aid in the detection of adulteration in foods, a portfolio of about fifty photo-micrographs of food products was made for use of the Sanitary Corps of the A ray. Technical invest i ;ations of v;ar problems were conducted along numerous lines. The work on sensitizing dyes was undertaken at the solicitation of the Photographic Section for the purpose of developing dyes necessary to the sensitizing of gelatine emulsions. Dyes of this character had been pro- duced before the war only by German concerns. After the beginning of the war, the development was undertaken by Great Britain. These dyes are employed in airplane photography for the purpose of making visible objects not photo- graphed upon the ordinary plate, especially in adverse conditions of the atmosphere. A large number of dyes of this type were prepared in consider- able quantities. The best dye of the pinaverdole type has been developed to a -point where the production of large quantities can bo curried on at any time. The study of the dicyanine dyes is progressing in a very satis- factory manner and there has been produced in considerable amounts a :i_, 3 that sensitizes to a very marked degree in infra red. Arrangements have been completed for the continuation of this work in the Color Laboratory of the Bureau of Chemistry where the dyes can be made available to manuf'actu ere and users, since the Bureau of Chemistry h authority by law to dispose of chemicals of this nature. The Color Laboratory - 99 - proposes to extend the study of the dyes of this series with a view to fix- ing their constitution and chemical properties. Dyes of this class have much scientific value in making possible- the iudy of the spectrum in the infra red region where photographic methods have not been applicable. Developing; Airplane ornoKe screens Dyes for use in color screens have been studied. It is especially de- sirable to develop a color screen capable of distinguishing live and dead leaves, iron rust and, in general, shades of red and green. Several new dyes have been investigated and some very satisfactory results have been ob- tained in the preliminary studies. A new process for the manufacture of secondary alcohols from the waste gaees of the petroleum industry has been studied r and sucpes-„. :.i.ly developed by the Color Laboratory. The process is most promisin-g. Increase in the production of the valuable war' materials, acetcne and ketones, was undertaken by the Color Laboratory. The waste gases from cer- tain gasoline processes in use in the potroleuai industry have been studied for the production of secondary alcohol. Tbtsc alcohols can be converted into acetone and a commercial process foV carrying on this chemical reaction has been developed. From this investigation, there promises to be developed a new source of acetone that will result in cheapening this valuable chem- ical. There is promise of development of a large industry which, to a con- siderable extent, may supersede the wood distillation industry and, di- rectly or indirectly, affect the manufacture of many aliphatic chemicals. Smoke screen investigations were made, the object being to etudy the development of smoke screens from airplanes for the purpose of obscuring - ion - planes in flight and to place a cloud over t v c landscape to obscure terres- trial movements from air obi v tic i. The work has proven that it is al- most impracticable to attempt r>uch operations on a large scale, on account of the large woight of materials involved, but as a result of the studies nov methods of signalling by aeans of volatile dyes and a method of imitat- ing a plane on fire ha.ve beon successfully developed. Gw If ask Vo rk Invaluabl e The Medical Corps of the Air Sarvice, in connection with other investi- gators, brought to the attention of this bureau the groat utility of certain dyes in the st i of blood. One of the most valuable of these has been prepared, submitted J or investigation and proved to be of groat use. Steps ha\e been taken to prepare this aye in large quantities. There seeras to be sufficient assurance that it will become available in the near future and that it ".'ill greatly assist medical investigations. i«Iuch of the fundamental work for Gas Defense Warfare, on the absorption of toxic gases by charcoal was done by the Carbohydrate Laboratory and the Color Laboratory. This work had a very wide scope and has been of funda- mental importance. It included the preparation and investigation of the pro- perties of charcoal derived from a very large number of natural organic materials, since the g&.s-absorbing power of char prepared from any one source varies greatly with the method of carbonisation. It included the study of a largo range of methods for treatment of the organic materials during carbonization. The Bureru of Finns cooperated with the Bureau of Chemistry. The work was carried on for a period of nearly two years and iisted in the development of a gas mask that was more efficient than any other mask in use by --he Allies. - io:.- The Carbohydrate Laboratory has been the. source of supply of mre carbohydrates for bacteriological research fcr a number of investigators working in collaboration wit>! the Army Medical Department. The rare carbo- hydrates are valuable and essentia", reagents used by the bacteriologists to differentiate between closely related strains of bacteria. Luring the war period, many of these reagents could not be bought from chemical supply houses. Just prior to the signing of the armistice, arrangements had been completed with the Army Medical Department to enlarge very materially this function of the Carbohydrate Laboratory. An investigation of the explosive properties of pure nitro-dulcita and nitromannite, in cooperation with the Research Division of the Chemical Warfare Service, was carried on by the Carbohydrate Laboratory. Nitro- dulcite and nitromannite appear promising as detonators and as sensitizing agents in the production of high explosives and may eventually find ex- tensive application. The investigation, so far ?s completed, includedthe development of an electrolytic method for producing dulcite, study of the proper conditions for nitration of dulcite and mannito and processes for the purification of nitro-dulcite and it.r^.-mannite . Ilitro-dulcoto may be used as a booster-charge in loading shells. Detect Ground Gl?..ss in Food The Department of Jus tic submitted a large number of samples of foods for examination to determine whether they contained poison, ground glass or other harmful substances. Many others were submitted by State Officials. Private individuals sent to the bureau a large number of food products which they believed had ceen tampered with. All such sample^ wore tested. In most cases, the resvlxs were negative. - 102 - ', soIIokqous technological investigations woio wade including a micrc-chonical study of trench lice powders for the War Department, color investigations on tho absorption of chlorine by charcoal developing a now process for the manufacture of hydrochloric acid from chlorine; •: study of ths effluents from camp sewers; an investigation of poisons commonly employ- Id in exterminating rats; tests on the toxicological action of hardwood tar preliminary to its being tried against body vermin on soldier:-; investiga- tion? of solder of 80 per cent load, 10 per cent tin an;'. 10 per cent cadmium to dot ermine if it was suited for use on the side scams of cans; investiga- pioi s upon the operation of a number of plants producing materials required in airplane manufacture, especially certain alcohols and ketones, and in- tigations of sore of the esters: of lactic acid to determine whether they would be valuable as solvents in the manufacture cf airplane dopes. study was made by the Water Laboratory to determine tho value of the T -.-i; Procecs for the production of caustic coda. The-, demand for caustic soda, duo to wai activities, was bo groat that there was an estimated short- : i vor 100,000 tons > year. It had been suggested to the Council of National Defense that possibly the Loowig Process could be util- ized for increasing tho supply without seriously interfering with other oper- ations . :.;; by using equipment which was already available. Inquiry was also made tc determine if other materials might be used either to replace caustic poda or if the raw materials could be utilized by the consumer so as to re- duce the demand especially for household purposes and as a cleansing agent in bottling establishments, machine shops, etc.. A report was submitted to the Council of National iiofenso of the relative cost of the raw materials and the kind of package which could be used in packing them, and directions were - 103 ~ furnished for ihe uso of the raw lateri- is in such a way as to ^reduce c aue tic s ■ 1 . The bureau cf Chemistry ..seir-tod in the organization of i od Di- vision of tin nitary Corps or" the Army, ii the Gas Warfare Service and of i number of the boardt ai.d ura LI: ;ees ch; rged v/ith important lines of war •vcri. k number cf the members of the technical staff of this bureau •jrere given commissions in different branches of the. Army and assigned to work al ng t line- of their qualifications. .ntairtar.ee was stiver the Sanitary Corps in e number of ways, particularly in analytical 7/ork necessary in nutrition survevs at Amy camps. 104 T:3E BUREAU OF SOILS The Bureau of Soils actively aided in the work of carrying on the war i: two ways — by supplying the War Department with maps and other informa- iion needed in map construction, and by cooperating with that department in factory scale experiments on fixation of atmosphere nitrogen at the Arlington laboratories. When war with Germany was declared, there was a strong demand for defi- nite cartographic information, especially of that part of the country lying along the eastern and southern coast. The Unite"' States Geological Survey, having been engaged primarily in the mapping of the mineralized regions of the country, had devoted its attention, in the main, to the rougher mountain- ous parts, and had left the work of surveying much of the smooth, agricul- tural lands of this coast section to the future. It therefore happened that the maps constructed by the bureau of Soils, though they do not show the topography, were the best extant. These mars were ir. great demand by various bureaus of the War Department. Copies of all published maps were called for and in many cases advance information concerning areas, the maps of which had not been published, was supplied. Information concerning the soil ex certain localities ws.s also furnished the War Department, though much uso could have beer taade of the accumulated data in possession of the bur? particularly in the locating of campe and cantonments. Dr awing ft it r o ~e n f roj : the Air The work on fixation 3f atmospheric nitrogen was carried on actively in cooperation with tl ? Bureau of Ordnance oi :■■ e W< r Department. a;c - 105 - installation of equipment for producing synthetic ammonia was successfully operated, and many problems connected with the fixing of nitrogen from the air were solved. The work was highly valuable to the War Department and the Government was fortunate in having a factory scale laboratory equipped for the purpose. The results would have assumed much greater importance had the war continued into the present year, but they will not be without value in connection with the operation of the Government nitrate plant in tine of peace. When the United States entered the war, the Division of Fertilizer Resources in this bureau had at Arlington a Haber synthetic ammonia apparatus well along toward successful operatic-!. With the entry of the United States into the war, synthetic ammonia became immediately more important as a prod- uct for munitions than as a product for fertilisers. Accordingly, the bureau at once got in touch with the War Department and entered into cooperative arrangements bj wcich the work could be prosecuted much more rapidly by the use of additional funds, and chemists secured through the selective draft, than could have been acre with the limited funds at the disposal of this bureau. As a result of this cooperation, the plant was pushed to completion and synthetic ammonia was produced, demonstrating the practicability of fixing atmospheric nitrogen in this way under American conditions. In the meantime, the War Department had erected at Sheffield, Ala., : plant designated to produce, by a modified Haber process, 20,000 tone of ammonium nitrate a year. Difficulties were encountered in the successful operation of this large plant. During the summer of 1918, the Bureau f Soils and the War Department entered into an agreement by which the Arlington Dlant of this bureau war tc be urea under a cooperative arrangement between - 106 - the 3ui .• v of Ordnance and th: Bureau of Boils as a testing plant fcr work- ing out, on a small scale, some of the numerous ijroblems which had ariss:: in concoction with the operation of the lai-gc:- plant. Since that Time, the plant at Arlii: to:- 1 , has been run continuously with these objocto specifically in vic> and is operated night and day in the effort to work out experimen- tally some of the problems which make it impracti cable tc operate the large plant as it now stands. 107 THE FUHEAU OF CROP ESTIMATES The ?urxu of Crop Estimates of ths Department of Agriculture was largely relied upon as the statistical authority in connection with the tremendous csa >aigns of food production and food control and conservation that contrib- ute? 3" materially to the winning of ths war. Not only did it assist the other bureaus of the Department of Agriculture in carrying out the foe: 1 nro- duction program and related projects; but its services were used by tha other departments ar.d by the specially created agencies of the government , notaole among tber: being the Iced Administration; the War Trade Board, the War In- dustries r>carc , the Military Intelligence Office cf the War Department, the Council of hational Defense, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Tariff Oonnissior. Two days before the declaration of a state o:' war, the bureau of Crop Estimates had started a seed suppij inquiry with the purpose of locating areas of excess and deficient seed supply, in cider tc facilitate exchanges as a step tov^rd making sxare that the increascc* acreage program would not fail dr. any section fcr lac".: of necessary seed. Four days after the declaration ■: the existence' cf a state of war, there was launched an agricultural workers' inquiry, tc ascertain the percentage of farm work done monthly, the number cf extra workers ordinarily used each month of the year, and the snp;a.y of hired labor at that time as compared with usual. Inside tne next weea. at the request of -one Council - 108 - crop schedule was begufa, to show the probable acreage of various crops compared with 1915 and the usual, the intention of fanners regarding the 1917 crop, and the general farm outlook. Fertilizer schedules were under- taken in June, and, in July, a winter wheat inauiry, to show conditions at harvest, percentage of acreage harvested, and the indicated yield per acr p . During August, special inquiries and schedules were made to investigate reports of abnormal slaughter of milch cows, to determine the financial con- dition of farmers looking to fall planting, to ascertain food stocks on the farms, this being repeated in December, and to determine the probable acre- age to be devoted to wheat in 1913 together with seed requirements for it. Stimulsi ing Grain Produ c t ion In January, 1913, inquiries were made to ascertain the conditions of winter wheat and the probable acreage to be abandoned, and to locate sur- pluses of sound seed ccrn from which deficient areas could be supplied. A 'special farm labor inquiry was made in February, to determine supply and de- mand. In March, an emergency live stock inquiry was made, to show the probable number of cattle to be fed and the number tc be grazed during the succeeding summer and winter, and the probability of feeding more swine than usual the succeeding winter. Another emergency inquiry that month was to ascertain, from present conditions and intentions of farmers, the probable acreage to be devoted to various food crops in 1913. This was followed in Kay by a special inquiry to determine shift in acreages due to war conditions and percentages of total acreage devoted to various crops. Aaotiier seed con- inquiry was conducted in Kay to determine the quality of the seed, percen- tage tested, per cent of germination and rate of seeding per acre. Three special inquiries were conducted in June, two of them applying to fertilizers - 109 - and the other to determine the binder t-:;ins requirements of the country. In July, an emergency liva stock survey was made to determine the Dumber en farms. Ir. August, a special inquiry was ms.de for the Food Ad- ministration to determine the uses mode of the wheat crop. The last special inquiry ma.de before the signing of the armistice was in October and was to determine the quantity of various crops fed to live stock each month. Since the signing of the armistice, there have been ma.de, - another live stock survey, an inquiry to determine the amount of commercial fertilizer and manure used for various crops, and 3- census of the location and typo of farm tractors. The truck crop reporting service, owing to war demands for more infor- mation of food production, was extended. A weekly True!; Crop News was pub- lished. A paid reporting service, to insure regularity of information from truck growing regions, was organised. This service, however, had not reached full development when the armistice was signed. Field agents and crop reporters in the drought-stricken areas assisted in making the Government seed grain loans in the fall of 1913. C rop S^etx st ics C-ave Great Servic e The Crop Recording and Abstracting Service furnished, for war pur- poses, agricultural statistics for the United States and foreign countries showing acreage, production, supplier, prices en farms and at markets, wages, number and value of live stock, exports and imports. Statements were prepared for the War Trade Boar; 1 and for the confidential use of American representatives abroad, giving production of crops in 1913 in each of the small political divisions of Germanv, Austria Hungary, Bulgaria, Rouffiania, Serbia, Greece ancl Russia. - 110 - The field forces of the bureau cooperated with various war agencies. From the beginning of the war, the field agents served, in a sense, as secret agents, reporting to the nearest United States Marshal any evi- dences of disloyalty, and, upon request of a United States Marshal, assist- ed in investigating charges of disloyalty. At the request of the Alien Property Custodian, the crop reporters reported to him property known to be held by aliens. The library of this bureau was very largely used bv representatives of the various war agencies. The number of persons using the library daily during the war showed an increase of 300 percent over the number using it prior to that time. Ill - THE BUREAU 0.' ENTOMOLOGY From the beginning of the war, the Bureau of Entomology '.vac able to be of service to the country, and especially to the military forces in ua.ny ways. The damage to stored grain and to grain in shipment soon came tc the front. Enormous quantities of grain and other materials were accumulated at the port of New York for shipment to Europe. The immense wprehouses at the Bush Terminal in Brooklyn were centers of accumulation of such material. The Bureau of Entomology was called upon for advice by the Y.'ar Department , and a laboratory was sta.tior.ed at this terminal where men experienced in the study of insect pests of this character were sta- tioned, where competent inspection was made , and where arrangements were made for the proper fumigation or other treatment of stored products found to be infested with insedts. Experts on the Pacific Coast and in the South were engaged in the inspection of many warehouses and. mill? where food supplies were stored and, throughout the entire period, large supplies ,-f food that were seing seriously affected by insects were located. The owners of such supplies were advised of the necessity of prompt action in order to avoid further losses, and were shown how to prevent losses in newly acquired supplies that were free from insects. The sane sort- of work v;j r done in regard to insects affecting lumber and stored woods:, implements. Early in 1917, a conference was held with representatives of zhs hrarch.es of the War and Navy Departments, Shipping Board, etc., which were responsible for the supplies drawn from - 132 - the forest resources of the country. The object of this conference was tc offer the services of the entomologists and to explain how they could help, through special investigations and advice, toward preventing serious losses of forest resources and damage by wood and- bark-boring beetles. Investigations of logging and aanufacturing operations in Mississippi to meet the demand for ash oars, handles and other supplies required by the war service showed, for example, that one company had lost by ash-wocd borer damage more than one million feet of ash logs through failure to pro- vide for prompt utilization after the trees were cut. Serious losses to seasoned ash end other hard wood sap material from "powder post," it was pointed out, could be prevented through the adoption of certain methods of management by the manufacturers and shippers with little or no additional cost. Protect inr Airpla ne "' r ood from Insects The urgent demand for spruce for the construction of airplanes led to an exceptional effort by the Spruce Production Eoard to utilize the great resources represented by the Sitka spruce of the Pacific Coast. It was soon realized that damage by wood-boring insects to the logs was a ser- ious matter and that the advice of the expert entomologist was essential to prevent losses of the best material. The problem was investigated by the entomologists and it was found that the prevention of the damage and loss was a matter of methods of man- agement in the logging operations and prompt utilization during a short period in the year when the insects were abundant. Early in the war and especially after the United States issued its declaration, the shortage o.f sugar made necessary an increase in the supply - 113 -- of supplemental sweets, and, since none of these could be increased more economically and more promptly than honey, and rince none of them has a higher value as food than honey, great efforts were made by the bee ex- pert? of the Bureau of Entomology to increase the honey production of the country. It was known that fc] en is nectar available annually to provide for a profitable increase of ten or more times the then present honey crop, provided beekeepers 'were instructed i:i matters like proper wintering and disease control. All apicultural investigational work, except that on bee diseases, war; discontinued and intensive extension work was begun. Special- ists were sent out, held meeting, addressed more than 25,000 beekeepers, visited the apiaries, and gave personal instruction, with the result that the honey crop was greatly increased. American exports of honey to allied countries have increased at least ten times over those of any period pre- vious to the war, and in the meantime the domestic consumption of honey has greatly increased. During the period of the war, the Bureau of Entomology maintained a thorough cooperation with the Office of the Surgeon General of the Army in the matter of experimental work on insect problems, Under the National Research Council's Committee on Medicine, a sub-committee on medical ento- mology was established, of which the chief of the Bureau of Entomology was made chairman. Under this committee, an enormous amount of experimental work was done with the different health problems in which insects are con- cerned. By r ea u _T eals De ath t_o_ Coot ies For example, every suggestion that came to the War Department in re- gard to the control of the body-louse : .- referred to the entomological - 114 - committee, or to the Bureau of Entomology, and these which were promising were experimentally tested, either at Washington, Minneapolis, or, for a time, at New Orleans, where a branch laboratory was instituted. At the* request of the Army War College and the medical department, as well as the chemical warfare service, tests were made of a new poisonous gas. This led to extensive experiments in cooperation with the Chemical Warfare Service leading to the possible utilization of gases used in warfare as fumigants for the control of insects and diseases. At the request of the Quarter- master's Corps, a complete investigation was made of all the details of the American process of laundering adopted by the Army, of the dry-cleaning pro- cesses and the hat-repair processes. In these investigations, the coopera- tion of the Bureau of Entomology with chemists of the Quartermaster's Corps resulted in the perfecting of the laundry processes so that it is now possi- ble to guarantee the complete control of vermin in the laundry, if the laun- dering is carried out according to the methods recommended, which are very slightly different from those in common use. It was found that the laundry machinery gave ample means for any sterilisation of clothing necessary. In the investigations of the dry-cleaning processes, it was found that the en- tire process gave complete control of vermin, but that gasoline treatment alone was not a perfect control. This discovery led to a long scries of important studies of the effect of various densities of oils on insect eggs. At the request of the Chemical VJarfare Service, various substances and impregnated clothes devised for the protection of soldiers against gas were tested as to their effects upon vermin. By a special request of the Electro- Therapeutic Branch of the Office of the Surgeon General of the Army, inves- tigations were made of a high frequency generator as a control moans against - 115 - the body louse, and as a result of these investigations sugger'-lon was made as to the possible application of high frequency electric treatment for the control of scabies aid other skin-infecting parasites. Cooperative investigations a] ong this line are about to be taken up. Among other problems investigated 7/ere the size of the meshes in mos- quito bar necessary for the protection of cantonment buildings from disease- carrying mosquitoes; reports on the insects likely to be found injurious to troops sent to Siberia; investigations o.' Lhe protective qualities against lice of furs dyed in various colors, and so on, A series of lectures dealing with important sanitary problems from the insect side were mimeographed and were sent to persons in the Army, Navy, Public Health Service, and in civil life who were preparing themselves for or were actively engaged in sanitary entomology. Errfc cnol ovists in Army Servic e Aside from this extensive cooperative research, entomologists were actually used in the Array, a number of them being given commissions while others acted as noncommissioned officers, assisting in the camp work on the control of insects that carry disease. The commissioning of expert ento- mologists for this kind of work was difficult, owing to the organization of the Army, but had the war continued, it is safe to say that more and more entomologists would have been employed in this important work, whether commissioned or not. The records made by a number of these men were ad- mirable and met with well-merited praise in Army circles. In great con- centration camps in several instances, entomologists were placed in entire charge of matters of mosquito and fly control, under medical command or under sanitary engineers. - 116 - I>i addition to this cooperation with the Army itself, the Bureau of Entomology cooperated with the Public Health Service, which had the ex- tremely important work in charge of the health control of areas immediate- ly surrounding the concentration camps, and held itself ready to assist in this work whenever called upon. One of the earliest matters taken up by the Congress of the United States after the declaration of war in April, 1917, was the consideration of appropriations for the stimulation o 'Top production and in this con- sideration, naturally, one of the points was the control of the principal insect enemf.es of staple crops. Prior to any congressional action, however, the Bureau of Entomology starced a country-wide reporting service en the conditions concerning these principal insect enemies, and engaged in ex- cellent cooperation not only all of the State entomologists, the entomolo- gists of all the agricultural experire.-t stations ard the teachers of en- tomology in the colleges, but also the demonstration agents, the statis- tical agents, both State and ?ed~ral, the weather observers, and the field men of the Forest Service. The idea was to bring about as far as possible almost a census of insect damage and prospects, co that the earliest possi- ble information should be gained as to any alarming increase in numbers of any given pest, that this information should be received at a common point, and distributed where it should be of the most good. The end sought was that repressive measures could be undertaken at the earliest possible moment in order to check the threatened loss. All reports re- ceived in this way were digested and distributed all through the growing seasons of 1917 and 1913 to the official entomologists of the country. Soon after this service was instituted, the funds for food crop - 117 - stimulation became available and trained man were employs** for demonstra- tion work to act in connection with the Fxtension Service of the Depart- ment and of the different State colleges of agriculture. These men were assigned to different localities and took care of the demonstration work against the principal pests cf staple crops all over the United States. Some of the.;; were specialists on the insects which attack truck crops: others in those ru'iidi damage field crops; others in those which affect or- chards, and so on. 'Sspecial attention was riven to the control cf grass- hoppers which damage grain and forage crops and to the sweet-potato weevil, an insect which bids fair to seriously affect the output of the South of this important vegetable. §3. ving Cro ps from Insects Aided, it is true, to e considerable extent by the winter of 1S17- 1918 which, froia its unprecedented cola, hud n destructive effect upon many important insect pests, and to a lesser extent by the character cf the winter of 1915-1917, which also was a hard one for injurious insects, the economic entomologists, including the demonstrators, accomplished much. Owing to peculiar weather conditions i.i the early spring of 1917, certain insects net notably conspicuous before that time appeared in great abun- dance and added new problems to the production of certain crops. A notable example of such insects was the potato aphis, a species which previously had done almost no damage but which appeared in countless numbers through- out certain of the middle Y.'esturn States in the early summer of that year. Notable work was done in the destruction of grasshoppers by the poisoned bait method, and it is safe to say that many hundreds of thousands of dollars, perhaps millions of dollars, worth of food cropswere saved in this un- usually intensive work. A single instance among many may be given in more , 118 - detail. In the State of Kansas, the season cf 1913 was remarkable for one of the worst grasshopper outbreaks that has occurred in that- State since 1913. The danger was recognized during the fall of 1217, and a grass- hopper-egg survey was instituted in cooperation between the State Agricul- tural College and the Bureau of Entomology. The results of this survey showed that, without doubt, a great hatching of grasshoppers was imminent , and extensive cooperative plans were immediately made. Winter meetings were held throughout many of the counties in the western one-third of the State, the farmers v/ere organizer" and plans matured for the purpose of purchasing bran in large quantities. Prompt distribution of poison was made as soon as the grasshoppers began to hatch. In eight counties of the State, 36,000 pounds of white arsenic in 356 tons of wheat bran was used in the preparation of poison bait, which was distributed in an amount exceeding 900 tons.. As a result cf this general application of the bait, it appears that some 113.000 acres of wheat were saved from destruction. Estimating fourteen bushels per acre?, which is considered a full crop in western Kansas, with wheat at two dollars per bushel, this represents a value of approximately ^3,000,000 saved in Kansas. This figure ir considered con- servative, according to tho officials of the State Agricultural College. In addition to the control v;ork on grasshoppers affecting wheat fields, it is estimated that 25,000 founds of poison bait was used throughout Kansas for the purpose of protecting alfalfa and sugar beets, and that 100,000 acres of alfalfa in western Kansas was saved by this application. With alfalfa selling at '-20 per ton, this represented ^2, 500, 000. - 119 - Insecticid e Supp ly Important All this control work was constantly i.i danger of being greatly ham- pered by the derangement of the insecticide situation in this country, due to war activities. Not only was the importation of arsenicals stopped, but their production was greatly limited by the fact that the smelters, from which arsenical compounds are gained as by-products, were so rushed in the production of urgently needed metal that by-product industries were largely stopped, and by the further fact that more than s third of the actual pro- duction under these limitations was, toward the end, used by the Chemical Warfare Service. Nevertheless, the entomologists and the chemists and the insecticide manufacturers held frequent conferences as to how best to utilize the reduced quantity of. arsenical insecticides to insure the pro- tection of crops to the greatest extent possible, and it resulted that, although the amount of arsenic available was really insufficient to meet normal demands, yet by conservative use and better distribution the require- ments of the farmers, fruit-growers, gardeners and others were met. There might be mentioned another side activity entirely due to war conditions. The extensive use of castor oil in airplane work made it ne- cessary to grow the castor bean plant in great acreage in this country, since practically none wss to be had elsewhere, the large Mexican crop having been bought up and sent to Spain, probably tc secret German bases. Therefore, under Government contract, thousands of acres were planted to this crop in Florida and elsewhere. Though previously the castor-bean plant had not ~oeen known to be subject to serious insect attack, the plant- ing of these large areas was immediately followed by the increase of cer- tain injurious insects and by serious damage tc the growing plants by the - 120 - southern army worm and other specie?. Entomologists were at orce called in and, through rapid and able work much of the threatened damage was prevented. While all this other intensive work was going on, the Federal ento- mologists were making a great fight in Texas by which the pink boll^'O?* has apparently been absolutely wiped out in the districts in the United States infested last year. At the same time, there was developed a system ty which damage done by the cotton boll weevil car. be greatly reduced, which may be said to be the culmination cf the work cf many years. lal THE BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY The killing of noxious and predatory animals, f n .r removed as it may seem from military science, was a very potent fpctor in the successful pros- ecution of the war. The Bureau of Biological Survey of the Department of Agriculture, in carrying on this work, not only increased food production and decreased food waste to a very considerable extent, but contributed large- ly to the comfort and fighting morale of the soldiers and sailors. One of the most uncomfortable things for a soldier on duty in the trenches, or in camp, is rats. Not only do they pollute his food v/here they do not destroy it, but the mere sight and thought of the slinking, nasty beasts is enough to weaken any Army's morale. More than that, the rat carries with him, always, the spectre o* one of humanity's most deadly and loath- some diseases -- Bubonic plague. All during the European war, one of the most dreadful things in contemplation was that that plague might break out in the trenches and devastate Europe again as it did in the Middle Ages. When the United States became a party to the war, the Bureau of Bio- logical Survey had on its staff several men who were literally "death on rats." They had spent a great part of their lives in the service of the Government studying the habits of animals, including rats, and specializing on methods of effectively destroying the harmful kinds on a large scale. At the request of the Surgeon General's Office, one of thorn was com- missioned as major, assigned to the Sanitary Corps, and sent to France to investigate the rat situation and to devise means for controlling it, to be on hand, if the plague should appear in the trenches, prepared promptly to - 122 - prevent its spread. Five other experts of the Bureau of Eiological Survey, already in the Army, were detailed to assist him, and the six of them, attached to the Central Medical Laboratory of the American Expeditionary forces, remained on duty through the victory campaign and with the Army of occupation. Total ?easts for the Rats They were not left alone ax the front merely with the knowledge they had when they went over. In one of the buildings of the Department of Agri- culture, there was a room in which the "two and seventy stinks" that Samuel Taylor Coleridge says he counted in Cologne. Germany, would have been con- fused and lost in the multiplicity of malodors. It was full of rats of many kinds, and biologists and chemists were catering to them, finding out just what kinds of food they liked best and just how a little of the most effec- tive poisons could be best mixed with those foods. The results of these in- vestigations were sent to the rat killers, along with various other informa- tion that might be useful. But this was not more than a fair beginning of the rat control work done by the Bureau of Biological Survey for the Army and Navy. Requests for advice and assistance were received from the officers in charge of six Naval stations, and from a still larger number of quarter- master officers in charge of Army warehouses and supply stations. These were inspected by experts of the bureau, and recommendations were made as to the most effective methods for destroying the rodents and for rat- proofing where practicable. Five hundred copies of Farmers 1 Bulletin ho. 895, on house rats and mice, prepared by this bureau, were supplied the Quartermaster Corps and distributed to officers in charge of storage depots. - 123 - The. results were 30 beneficial that requests were received from the Quartermaster Corps for the sane number of additional copies of the bulle- tin to send to the quartermasters in charge of the military stores of the American Expeditionary forces abroad. The following quotation from a letter by the officer in charge of the Bush Terminal warehouses, Brooklyn, indicates the value of this work: "When the writer was placed in charge of Bush Terminal it was realized that as .-tome of the warehouses were from 25 to 30 years old, and as wherever one opened a door to go into e. warehouse he could hear the scurrying around of rats and mice and found signs of them on all sides, serious damage to subsis- tence supplies, such as flour, meal, corn, rice, oats, jiacon, and even clothing, would result unless an intelligent campaign were inaugurated. The campaign was inaugurated at a time when the warehouses were practically empty, and continued steadily to date when the warehouses are 90 per cent full. "The number of rats caught can not be accurately estimated, as the dead rats were dumped into kegs or garbage cans as caught, but in the estimation of the writer the number would be somewhere between 35,000 and 50,000 rats, and the damage dor.e to Government stores by rats in thirteen months operation has not exceeded $50 as an outside estimate. "In the estimation of the Officer in Charge of Storage, the campaign against rats conducted under your advice and super- vision has been entirely successful, and today the catch does not average a dozen rats a day, ana nowhere in the warehouses is there a sign of the presence of rats in any quantity." Y r ar on Animal. Enemies to Food The killing of predatory animals and of rodents other than rats, while not so directly connected with the Army in France, was not less effec- tive in increasing and conserving the food supply for the Armies and civilian populations of the nations engaged in the war against Germany. Each year predatory animals in the United States were killing more than 320,000,000 worth of live stock. Outdoor rodents, also, were de- stroying not less than i,?150 ,000 ,000 worth of cultivated crops and at least another $150,000,000 worth of forage in the stock raising States every - 134 - jrear. On top cf that, house rat" and mr.co wore known tc dss+roy yearly about $200,000,000 worth of food sud other products on farms, at nil in commercial storage hcuses. and elsewhere. The need of an intensified campaign again.-;'; predatory and other destructive mammals mas obvious. In its war campaign for the destruction of predatory animals and in- jurious rodents, the bureau concentrated its efforts about the stock-raising farming centers, in order that the err nclitures of funds available should produce the greatest possible saving of supplies. Cooperation with the State extension services and county agents, as well as with stockmen and farmers, was greatly enlarged. The v/ork done by the bureau in tne.se campaigns was so effec- tive that, in addition to the temporary personal services of more than 100,000 cooperating farmers and stockmen, the States, counties, and individuals con- tributed funds amounting to mere than £600,000 during the calendar year 1913 for cooperative work, mainly under the immediate direction of this bureau. The campaign to destroy predatory animals, such as wolves, coyotes, moun- tain lions, and bobcats, in Montana, Idaho, Washingtcn, Oregon, California, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, South Dakota, Colorado, Arizona, Nsw fckxico, and Texas, resulted between April 1, 1917, and December 31, 1918, in the Killing of 1,266 wolves, 46,235 coyotes, 171 mountain lions, and 5,852 wild oats through trapping and hunting, while extended poisoning killed tens cf thousands of coyotes on important sheep ranches and lambing grounds, practically freeing many large range areas from losses of live stock through these pets. The destruction of these stock-killing animals has meant a continuous saving for market of a great number cf cat tie., horses, sheep, goats, swine, and poultry, with a direct increase in Ine meat, hide, and wool output valued at not less than §8,000,000. , -■"'- •■ X.-CO - Co op era- ion C-ivei tc St at os In this work the bureau had tv* hearty cooperation of State councils of defense, State live-stock coimaisoions, stockmen's associations, and in- dividual stock growers. Campaigns against native rodents, such as prairie-dogs, ground squirrels, pocket gophers, and jack rabbits, were mainly conducted in cooperation with the States Relations Service and the extension services of the agricultural colleges of North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona, with the State and county commissioners of horti- culture of California, the State Rabies Commission of Nevada, and the State councils of defense of Mew Mexico and Arizona. More than 20,000,000 acres of agricultural and range lands were treated vith poison baits to destroy these rodent poets, and reports show a saving during the crop season of 1918 of a total of more than 313,500,000. The cooperating States, counties, farmers, and stockmen's organizations expended, mainly under the direction of the bureau, more than $750,000 during the fiscal year 1918. With the beginning of the war, the bureau increased its educational campaign concerning the losses occasioned by house rats, the need for taking active steps to destroy them, and the need for protecting products from their depredations. Several States, notably Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Indiana, cooperated in organized State-wide campaigns for rat destruction, and in addition there were many local campaigns in various parts of the c ount ry. - 12s I-HE BUREAU 07 PUBLIC ROADS When the United State; became a party to the world war, faced with the necessity for rapid nobili.zation of men and materials, one of the serious limiting factors was the lack of improved roads adjacent to concentration points. Much military road building was ^mediately necessary. There was urgent need, in order to economize in man power, construction materials and money, that general road construction work the country over be suspended ex- cept in cases where the improvement would be of material aid to the military program. But, while it was necessary that work be suspended on many roads the improvement of which would have been, under ordinary circumstances, highly de- sirable, construction was equally necessary on many roads where, under peace conditions, it could have ceen deferred without hardship. The problem of what roads should be improved and where, in the general dearth, materials for such improvement were to be found was a serious one. The three big road problems, then, were these: To build the necessary roads at and around cantonments and around concentration points for war ma- terials; to improve such roads as wore necessary to free movement from pro- duction points, and to curtail general road building to the end that labor, money, materials and machinery might be conserved. The organization and experience of the Bureau of Public Roads in the United States Departmrnx of Agriculture were immediately directed toward meet- ing the military needs of the Government. Later, on the suggestion of the Secretary of Agriculture, the United States Highways Council was formed, coordinating the activities of the Department of Agriculture, the War Depart- - 127 - ment, the Director General of Railroads, the Fuel Administration, the War Industries Board, the Employment Service of the Department of Labor, and the Capitol Issues Committee, These two agencies — the Bureau of Public Roads and the United States Highways Council — were charged with the carrying out of the Government's policy of road building during the period of the war. The two worked in close cooperation, the chief of the Bureau of Public Roads serving as chairman of the Highways Council- In all of the work of both cf these agencies, close cooperation was mair+ained with the State Highways De- partments. Roadwa -r? Rushed to Cantonment s The first big war task undertaken directly by the Bureau of Public Roads was the construction of necessary roadways in the sixteen National Army can- tonments and in one guard mobilization camp. The total construction planned and carried out in these camps aggregated several hundred miles and included practically all of the common types of construction from sand clay to con- crete roads. Eighteen engineers were detailed by the Bureau of Publxc Roads for periods ranging from three months to more than a year, to prepare plans and superintend the construction of roads at the following camps: Camp Devens, Aye'r, Massachusetts. Camp Upton, Yaphank, Long Island." Camp Dix," Wrights town, New Jersey. Camp fobade," Admiral, Maryland. Camp Lee, Petersburg, Virginia. Camp Jackson, Columbia, South Carolina. Camp Gordon, Chamblee, Georgia. Camp Sherman, Chillicothe, Ohio. Camp Taylor, Louisville, Kentucky. Camp Custer, Battle Creek. Michigan. Camp Grant. Rockford, Illinois. Camp Pike, Lixtie Rock, Arkansas. Camp Dodge, Des L: o5jr.es, Iowa. Camp Funston. Forb Riley, Kansas. Camp Travers, San Antonio, Texas. Camp Lewis, American Lake, Washington. Camp McClellan, Aniston, Alabama. - 123 - Besides the necessary roads in and around the camps, it was necessary in most coses to construct or rebuild suitable roads from the camps to the cities on which they depended for supplies and equipment. Such reads were con- structed under the direction of the Bureau of Public Roads and in cooperation with the State Highways Departments under the Federal-Aid Road Act, as follows: Alexandria, L ouisiana, to Camp Beauregard; Little Rock, Ark. to Camp Pike; Columbia, S. C. , to Camp .Jackson; Spartanburg, South Carolina, to Camp V/ads- worth; Creenvillc, S. C. , to Camp Sevier; and Aniston, Ala. to Camp McClellan. Engineering assistance was given in the construction of roads from Alexandria, Va. , to Camp Humphreys and from Petersburg, Va. , to Camp Lee. Road Bureau Aids S hipbuilders In both the shipbuilding program and the war emergency housing program, the assistance of the Bureau of Public Roads was requires. One highway en- gineer was detailed to assist the Emergency Fleet Corporation in planning roads and streets in connection with shipyard developments. He gave his ur.tire time to this work from March 5, 1918, until after the signing of the armistice. Another engineer was loaned to the United Static Housing Corporation as con- sulting engineer en roads zno. streets necessary in connection with housing de- velopments. The mapping of roads was not less necessayy to the military program than the construction of roads. The Bureau of Fublic Roads made complete and de- tailed highway maps, utilizing as far as practicable the topographical sheets of the United States Geological Survey, covering all. of karyland oast of the meridian passing through V/ashington, all of the coast counties of New Jersey and all of Florida south of Jacksonville. Thea. maps were made for the use of the Engineering Corps of the Army. - 129 - j.n addition to these, detailed highway maps, the principal highways in a zone extending from Boston to Newport News through New York and Washington were plotted on topographical sheets for the use of the Geological Survey in the preparation of aeroplane maps. Detailed route maps were prepared, covering Amy truck route from Detroit to Baltimore, the work being done in cooperation with the United States Geo- logical Survey and the Engineeriig Corps of the Army, Cooperation was maintained with the Shipping Board in other ways than the building of roads. In designing reenforced concrete ships, the Bureau of Public Roads was called on to make sever?! series of tests in oder to obtain informa- tion necessary to insure the safety of concrete ship designs. Concrete ship construction was substantially a new thing. It was uncertain whether the steel used for reenforcing was protected by the concrete against the action of salt water. To determine this point, the 3ureauof Public Roads made tests with bars protected with various kinds of paint coatings and metal coatings, both to determine the protection afforded and the effect of the coat- ings on the bond strength. Another question that had to be determined in connection with concrete ship building was that of "shear stresses." The term means, in mechanical lan- guage, a strain or change of shape of an elastic tody resulting from applied forces which cause or tend to cause two contiguous parts of the body to slide relatively to each other and in a directionpnxallel to the plane cf contact. In the design of a concrete ship the shear stresses are very high and, in order to use as little steel and concrete as possible, it was necessary to use much more unit stress in shear than in the ordinary reenforced concrete construction. No test results were available to indicate what would be a safe unit stress - 130- with the exceedingly rich mixture of concrete used in ships. It was necessary, therefore, to make a number of beam tests to determine this point. This work was done by the Bureau of Public Roads. Show How to Pour Concrete Ships Still another point in connection with the building of concrete ships worked out by the Bureau of Public Roads was that of a satisfactory pouring method for concrete. Because of the extremely thin walls containing a large part of the reer.forcing steel, it was necessary to pour the concrete so that it would entirely surround the steel in such a way as to form smooth surfaces and yet to be of dry enough consistency to produce the densest possible con- crete. A specimen resembling the shell of a concrete vessel was made up and the concrete was poured into it, after which the form was rapidly vibrated by hammering the sides. The first method of pouring tried out by the Bureau of Public Roads was a complete success, and no further experiments were necessary. Assistance was given to the Bureau of Standards in pouring concrete into a large design to resemble a concrete bulkhead for use in constructing water- tight compartments in steel vessels. During the pouring, measurements were taken of the pressure exerted by the concrete against the forms, using the soil pressure sills designed by the Bureau of Public Roads. In concrete ship construction, there are many places where the concrete can not be poured continuously and it becomes necessary to join, with as strong a bond as possible, the newly poured soft concrete to the hardened surfaces. The Bureau of Public Roads worked out and tested a number of dif- ferent methods for accomplishing this. In connection with tests made for the Shipping Board at its laboratories, it was necessary to have instruments that would register exceedingly minute - 131 - changes in length. At the request of the Shipping Board . the Bureau of Public Roads constructed such test instruments. Considerable work was done by the Bureau of Public Roads in the testing of high explosives. At the request of the Frankfort Arsenal, Philadelphia, a device was worked out for testing the power of explosives with the idea of ob- taining an autographic record of the force and speed. The bureau's impact machine was borrowed by the American University for research work in connection with high explosives. Impact machines of the type employed by the bureau are now used in practically ail of the arsenals throughout the country in their routine investigations of explosive materials. During the first fourteen months of participation of this country in the world war, the Bureau of Public Roads worked independently of any interdepart- mental agency. The United States Highways Council was not formed until June 8, 1918. A short time prior to that date, the Secretary of Agriculture suggested the formation of such a council and asked that appointments to it be made bj? the Secretary of War, the Director General of Railroads, the Fuel Administrator, and the Chairman of the War Industries Board, these representatives to serve jointly in handling street and highway problems during the period of the war. Such representatives were appointed and organized on June 8 by electing as chairman of the council the chief of the Bureau of Public Reads. Highways Council Averts Delays The council was formed primarily to prevent the long delays, financial losses and uncertainty incident to the method of taking up each highway problem in its turn with the separate Government agencies, and to utilize the organiza- tions of 48 State Highway Departments with their trained personnel and knowl- edge of local conditions as a medium through which the highway needs of the - 132 m • country were to be brought to the attention of the Federal Government. It provided a single agency in the nature of a clearing house where all highway projects calling for Government action could te considered and acted upon. It took cognizance of questions of finance, of materials, of transportation and of the necessity and desirability of a project. At the time of the formation of the Highways Council, there were no in- dications of an early termination of the war. The Government was going for- ward with its plans for such a complete m-- ilization of resources as would be adequate for a war continuing through a period of years. In this program, a coordinated highways policy was of the highest importance. The work was that of harmonizing and directing ail Government efforts and interests to a common end. The War Department was interested in roads connecting cantonments and posts with cities and shipping points, in any through-highways over which government truck trains might be transported, and in any highways whinh might affect any of the numerous war activities of the Nation. > The Railroad Administration,, controlling all of the rail transportation facilities, was in position to exercise a vital influence on the construction and upkeep of roads, as vast quantities of various road building materials were transported by rail. It was desirable to meet these transportation needs in a selective manner, so that urgent work might be done and less important, work be postponed. The Fuel Administration had charge of many materials that enter into road-building, including fluid oils, road oils, asphalts, and tars. Manu- facturers delivered these for road-building materials only on permit issued by the Fuel Administration. - 133 - Other materials necessary for road building, such rs cement, crushed store, gravel, sand, structural and reenforcing steel, were controlled by the TTar Industries Board which had the power to establish priorities, allocate materials and fix prices. The Capital Issues Committee was required to pass upon ail road issues involving i)100,000 or more. The Department of Agriculture, charged with administering the Federal -Aid Road Act and spending many millions of dollars a year in road construction, was the chief highways agency of the Government but was subjected under war condi- tions to the necessity of deferring to national needs that might be more press- ing than those of road building. Selecting Most Imperative YJor'.; All of these agencies were brought together and coordinated in the United States Highways Council and, had the war continued for as long a period as was at that time generally expected, this council would have been an indispen- sable aid to the Nation's war program. During the few months that it was operative, a great deal was accomplished. Starting out with the policy that all highway, street, culvert and bridg9 con- struction and maintenance projects should first be submitted for approval to the United States Highways Council through the appropriate State Highway De- partment, a system was evolved which secured the essential construction and held the non-essential at a minimum. Construction was favored by the council only when it was clearly established that maintenance was no longer possible except at prohibitive costs. Highways and streets of military value were placed first in order, then highways and streets of national economic value, then unfinished contracts involving obligations which could not be disturbed without serious consequences and, finally, streets and highways which, while - 134 - aot of military or economic importance, were of such extreme local importance as to cause serious hardships if their construction were postponed. " The State Highway Departments were requested to give most careful consideration to each application on its merits and to exercise the power of disapproval freely. The I council itself considered only such projects as came to it with the approval of the State Highway Departments. Pas3 on Projects Involving: Millions Applications for approval, including those which had been submitted to the Office of Public Roads prior to the establishment of the Council, reached a total of 7,307. A quantitative table dealing with the materials, transportation, and funds involved and showing such proportion as was defin:te?.y approved follows: Item Unit Requested Approved ^Capital issued collars 049,538,075 § 7,334,821 Road oil gallon 68,280,401 44,269,825 Tar gallon 56,608,401 53,533,441 Asphalt tons 190,207 159,475 Cement bbls. 5,657,390 2,139,769 Brick Ms. 109,125 52,239 Steel, structural lbs. 10,663,250 694,320 Steel, reenforcing lbs. 22,281,275 3,231,301 Crushed stone tons 3,639,819 1,827,795 Gravel tons 1,204,552 432,707 Sand and screenings tons 2,216,481 932,479 Slag tons 520,152 250,428 Corrugated iron culverts lin. ft. 107,815 23,704 Piling Timber lin. ft. 164,102 43,588 Pipe, Vit. Drain lin. ft. 2,165,419 99,699 Pipe, cast iron drain lin. ft. 47,052 43,. -40 Lumber ft. (B.li.) 5,530,196 1,651,635 Granite Blocks blocks 1,420,500 156,500 Miscellaneous tons 123,206 49,513 Cars, open top cars 55,059 26,361 Cars, box cars 8,543 3,376 Cars, flat cars 3,705 605 ^Includes applications acted on by the Bureau of Public Roads prior to formal or- ganization of the United States Highways Council, requested 028,748,084, approved $3,114,381. The Capital Issues Committee has jurisdiction and the Council served merely as an aid to the committee. Diverting Resources for Greatest I T eeds The approval of the Council obtained for highway purposes the equivalent of 99,000.000 gallons of road oils and tars and 159,475 tons of asphalts at a time when serious doubt existed as to whether any substantial amount of bituminous material could be made available for street and highway purposes. On other items, constructive help was given to highways in securing vast amounts of material which might otherwise have been difficult to obtain. No action by the Council restricted in the slightest degree the opportunities of shippers to obtain cars from local railrcad conpanies. The requests, therefore, that came to the Council for cars were for constructive aid rather than for approval. Through the activities of the Council, more than 30,000 cars were obtained for highway purposes. This number constitutes a distinct net gain to highway needs over and above the supply which the local railroads were able to furnish of their own accord. The restriction of highway work undoubtedly served to provide for the most worthy projects such materials as were available and to bring about on the part of States, cities and counties a much more thorough sifting of the various projects than would otherwise have been possible. Had the war con- tinued, this conservative and selective consideration would have become more and more useful and necessarv. 136 - TIiE STATES RELATIONS SERVICE ■When the European war began, the United States had just entered upon the development of a comprehensive national system of extension work in agriculture and home economics. It involved not only the practical training of farmers and their families, but their organization for individual and community action in the improvement of agricultural practice and the economic and social condi- tions of rural homes and communities. It combined the scientific and investi- gational forces of the United States Department of Agriculture and the State agricultural colleges mth the practical knowledge and experience of the multi- tude of farm men and women, organized to conduct demonstrations on their own farms and to take leadership in helpful movements in their own communities. One of the most important and efficient features of the system, is that commonly referred to as the county agent and home demonstration a$ent work. Its ultimate object, as embodied in the agricultural extension act, was to place in every agricultural county in the United States an agricultural expert, known as the county agent, to act as advisor and demonstrator to farmers, and a woman, known as the home demonstration agent, to act as expert advisor to the housewives in matters of domestic science and household economy. It is one of the most notable departures ever made in agriculture ond has proved one of the most efficacious. It brings the accumulated knowledge of agricultural and domestic scientists directly to the farm families of the country in their fields and homes, and proves it in actual farm and household operations. The entry of the United States into the war found the extension system partly organized in all of the States and in about half of the counties. - 137 - immediately it was seen that both, for the benefit of the farm people and for the promotion of the general welfare, it was highly desirable thai every agricultural ;ounty should have this organization as soon as possible. It was evident that in ;his way both the Government and the people would have the best means of bringing pibout the agricultural production and the food conservation required by war condi- tions. The Government would also be kept informed regarding the attitude and ieeds of the farm people through the county and home demonstration agents, and could enlist their sympathy and support in such patriotic endeavors as liberty Loan, Red Cross, and other campaigns by which information regarding war aims and requirements were to be disseminated and the means for successful prosecution of the war secured. Sw-alling; Army of Field Workers The Secretary of Agriculture recommended and Congress provided means for the .-apid expansion of the extension system, with the result that between July 1, 1917, -.nd July 1, 1913, the number of counties with men ager.t3 increased from 1,434 to 2,435; the number of counties with women agent?, from 537 to 1,715; and the total number of persons engaged in extension work, from 4,100 to over 7,000. The number of employees cooperatively employed by the Department of Agriculture; the State colleges of agriculture, and local and county authorities increased from 2,500 tc •3,200 during the same period. The first problem that these agents had to undertake was to organize the farmers, in order to reach them effectively and in order that the farmers might effectively solve their ov,ti problems. During the year the agents attempted to organize as many people as possible to undertake some type of work V7*ri'c> wcuitf enable them to increase the food production, conserve the supply of;fruxts : vegetables, and meats, and to become more efficient in the phases of agricultural - 133 - production in which they were accustomed to engage. In many cases, the county or home demonstration agents found in the coun- ties in which they were placed some organization which indicated a demand for their services. The first activities of the agents in the counties were con- nected with the development of existing clubs or the organization of new farm bureaus, county councils of agriculture, or other associations to deal with rural life problems. All together, there were organized over 15.000 farmers' commun5.ty clubs among men, 30,000 among women, and 50 ,000. among the boys and girls. The county agents during the year addressed over 250,000 gatherings and reached over 8,000,000 individuals. Through the work of the home demonstration agents, 6,000,000 women learned of the Government's desire for increased pro- duction and conservation, and 1,250,000 boys and girls were enrolled in the various lines of club activities. Northern Workers Solve Corn Problem One of the most serious problems confronting the extension agents in the Northern States during the war was the corn situation in many States in the spring of 1918. On account of early frost the preceding autumn, there was a large deficiency in corn fit for seed, while the war called for an increased production. It immediately became the function of the county agents to locate seed corn of high germination adaptable to the locality where it was to be planted, and to see to its proper distribution among the farmers. This problem called for organized effort. By intensive organization and the establishment of numerous testing stations, Iowa was able to care for its seed corn problem within the State, but Indiana, Illinois, and Ohio were forced to bring large quantities of seed corn from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut. The Seed Stock Committee of the Department of Agriculture assisted in the location - 139 - and distribution of this ?ee<3; ^ind the county agents, both at the point of supply and at the point of distribution, aided in attending to the details of gathering the seed together and distributing it. The agents recorded that ...... ithey made available to 326,662 farmers a sufficient supply of seed to plant 3,500 : 000 acres, and through their testing campaign 550,000 farmers tested their seed for germination, so that sufficient seed was provided to plant a total of 10,500,000 acres. In connection with their work tc increase the pro- duction of corn, the agents influenced the farmers to increase their acreage of ensilage corn and thereby were able to increase the production of live stock. The next crop of importance was wheat. The Department of Agriculture, in cooperation with the Food Administration, carefully determined the food needs, both at home and abroad, and suggested the needed acreage for each State. With- in the States, intensive campaigns were carried on with the farmers, largely through the county agents, who not only kept the farmers informed as to what the needs of the country were, but assisted them in securing the proper supply of seed wheat and aided those farmers who had never grown wheat before in cultiva- tion and harvesting. The activities of the agents aided in bringing about the planting of 4,100,000 additional acres, with an increased production of 45,000,- 000 bushels. A further additional 2,500,000 acres of winter wheat was planted in the fall of 1918 as a. result of the wheat production campaign. Another important feature of the work carried on by the county agents in the campaign for increased crop production war the treatment of oats for smut. Nearly 100,000 farmers, representing an oat acreage of 1,S00,000 acres, were in- fluenced to treat their seed oat.3. The agents also assisted the farmers in in- creasing their acreage of rye, barley, potatoes; buckwheat and other minor crops. Another important feature of their campaign was the establishment of - 140 - aome and community gardens. They also encouraged, to a United eitent, the ... . panning and drying of fruits and vegetables. In the earapaign conducted in 300 counties, the increased n^mb^r ^^ live stock involved was 128,000 head of cattle, 940,000 head of hogs, 332,000 head of isheep, and 1,050,000 fowls. Over 1,000,000 animals were treated as the result of the activities of the extension agents. The agents were able to bring about.. the introduction into these communities of a large number of purebred live stock, an- 4 , took an active part in the campaign to increase the production of hogs. Sou thern Workers \'. T in Crop Diversit" The extension organizations in the South very efficiently met the problem of sustaining the production of food and feed in 1917 in the face of high- priced cotton. As a result of their very complete campaign, the acreage of cotton was actually reduced, and the acreage of corn, wheat, oacs , hay, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and in fact all other crops, was increased. In the spring of 1918 the same thing was repeated except that the high price of cotton forced a slight increase in the cotton acreage. The acreage in corn was practically sustained, while the acreage of wheat, oats, ry3, hay, potatoes, sweet potatoes, rice, peanuts, grain sorghums, velvet Deans, and oxher food and feed crops was increased. In the fall of 193.8, dun to the campaign for more wheat, the seed- ing of wheat for the harvest of 191? was increased. The extension organization in the South conducted campaigns fcr an in- creased production of live stock, resulting in an increase of 6 per cent in the number of hogs, 3 per cent in the number of milch cows, 5 per cent in the number of sheep, and 5 per cent in the number of other cattle, the increase in hog production being the highest in Mississippi and Tennessee, each of Lidiul< shows a gain of 20 per cent over the year 1917. - 141 - The work among the men on th" f^.rm •wan primarily to encour'-^e ro^^e abundant production. The campaign carried on among the women was not only for increased production but for conservation of those products which had formerly been wasted. In the South, where the work among the women had been carried on the longest, the reports of the agents indicate that 65,000,000 containers of vegetables, fruits, and fruit products, and 130,000 containers of meat and fish were put up, 9,000,000 pounds of dried vegetables and fruiLs stored, and 1,000,000 gallons of vegetables brined. In addition, 16,000,000 pounds of butter and 1,000,000 pounds of cottage cheese were made under the ag9nts' direction. The women agents carried the Issson of wheat, meat, sugar, end fat con- servation to every family represented and reached so large a number of people that they materially assisted the Food Administration and other forces in putting many States and counties on a non-wheat basis during the spring of 1918. Six hundred and fifty-nine community demonstration kitchens were or- ganized under their supervision and used for the purpose of community in- struction. They organised and built 847 community canneries and 131 com- munity drying centers. They assisted in the organization and establishment of 13 curb markets in cities where city women could buy direct from farmers and farm women fruits and vegetables brought in from the country. They or- ganized 173 egg circles among farm women and girls, with the result that 575,593 dozen eggs were marketed cooperative.!}, 200,000 dozen eggs were sold through individuals belonging to these associations, and over 1,000,000 pounds of poultry were marketed. They secured the establishment of 137 rest rooms for women in towns. ~ 142 - Reach H or^ t han 3 , 000,000 Women In the Northern and Western Spates, over 3,000,000 women were reached through training classes, talKs, demonstrations, and visits to hones, and interested in various phases of food production, utilization and preserva- tion, the conservation of clothing and fuel, and various phases of health and child care. Under the immediate supervision of the agents, 140,000 gardens were grown, 1,700,000 fowls were cared for, 4,000,000 pounds of butter, and 7,000,- 000 pounds of pork were produced, 110 community kitchens and 450 canning kitchens were established and 300,000 families influenced in food saving, 13,000,000 quarts of fruit and 9,000,000 quarts of vegetables were canned, 2,000,000 quarts of vegetables brined, 270,000 pounds of meat and 50,000 pounds of fish canned, 350,000 pounds of fruit dried, and 805,000 pounds of vegetables and 500,000 dozen eggs preserved. Not only the adults, but the boys and girls as well, were interested in the problems of food production and conservation. All together, 1,250,- 000 boys and girls undertook definite - work in the production and conservation of agricultural products under the agents' supervision. Some of the results that the boys and girls organized in club work reported in the N orth and West were the production of *vs* 300,000 bushels of corn, 650,000 bushels of potatoes, 3,000,000 square rods cf home gardens- , canning of 3,500,000 quarts of vegetables, making of 350,000 jars of jelly, the production of 440,000 chickens, 170,000 dozen eggs, 900,000 pounds of beef, and 6,200,000 pounds of pork. In the Southern States the boys' club work is handled by the county agents, while the girls' work recorded above is included in the work of the - 143 - home demonstration agents for woaien and girls. The boys' work in the South was responsible for the production cf 523,050 bushels of corn. 40,000 bu- shels of peanuts, 30,000 bushels of potatoes, 6,333 bushels of grain sor- ghums, 12,857 bushels of wheat. 496 bushels of beans, 1,668,907 pounds of cotton, 224,517 pounds of beef, 1 5 728,092 pounds cf pork sold for the market and 2,810,897 pounds of hogs retained for breeding purposes. The poultry cyork is reported under the girls' work. The total market value of products of the boys' clubs in the South was OH, 803, 385- 32, These boys borrowed from banks 0536,402 for the purchase of animals to engage in club work. Both the home demonstration agents and the county agents encouraged the slanting of war gardens., and never before had the farmers been able to supply sheir food needs so adequately from home gardens. In addition, the county igents were very influential in establishing local labor exchanges, which en- ibled the farmers readily to find such help as was available in the community .n case cf need. Taking the Message to the Family The achievements indicated above were the results of the direct contact if the agent with the farmer or a member of his family. Although there were- iany agencies at wsrk influencing the farmer, probably none reached him as ffectively and as quickly as the Department of Agriculture and the State olleges of agriculture did through the county agent and home demonstration gent. Although the labor supply available to the farmer was considerably ecreased, where his sons and hired men went into the Army and his daughters ent into the war industries, hP increased his total acreage in crops from 33,000,000 in 1916 to 334,000,000 in 1917, and to 355,000,000 in 1918. The umber of milch cows was increased from 22,895,000 in 1917 to 23,470,000 in - 144 - 1919, the number of other c?ttle from 41,690,000 to 44,400,000, the number of swine from 67,500,000 to 76,000,600, and the number of sheep from 4-7,616,- 000 to 49,853,00. As soon as the United States- entered the war, the Office of Experiment Stations called specific attention to the questions which were of wartime im- portance and assisted in organizing cooperations among the stations for study- ing these problems. It also worked in close association with the agricultural department of the N ational Research Council. A register was prepared of agricultural specialists competent for experiment station work, which assisted the stations in keeping the ranks of their workers- filled. The work of the Office of Experiment Stations and the State institutions associated with it was not so evident from what they did during the wsr as in the accumulated results of their experimental and investigational work in the past. The results of their activities supplied information to the farmers and to the extension workers with reference to such subjects as making the most advantageous use of soil and cultivation, economizing the resources of water and soil, making the best use of available fertilizing material, com- bating disease and insect pests, practices to protect agricultural products against lr -,s in transit and storage, the use of substitutes in food and feed, economizing human labor and making it more highly productive by making it more intelligent and resourceful, and in general giving mail a larger ability to utilize the forces of nature, based on the knowledge obtained from investi- gational and research work. The problem of the insular stations connected with the Office of Experiment Stations was to increase the food production on the islands and in Alaska. Before the war, the people served by the insular stations were large importers - 145 - of food producto, the value cf 'which eached ^30 ,000 , cOt\ annually. The use of many coastwise vessels for transport service to Europe reduced the available tonnage of food shipments and made it necessary for Alaska, Hawaii, Porto Rico, and Guam to make an effort to feed themselves. The efforts of the people under the guidance of the insular stations were- highly successful and enabled them, in a large way, to solve their food problem. What Was Done on Our Islands To cite some typical examples, under ordinary conditions, Porto Rico was importing 0800,000 worth of beans annually, but, under the stimulus of xiar, it has been able not only to produce the entire amount for home consumption but a considerable surplus available for export. In the Tanana and i.antanuska Valleys in Alaska, the experiment station workers have been able to increase the production of potatoes, vegetables, and root crops in sufficient quantity to meet the local requirements of that section. In addition, the farmers pro- duced 2,500 tons of food and forage for live stock. Hawaii was accustomed tc ship monthly 20,000 bunches of bananas. The removal of the steamers operating between Honolulu and San Francisco left the island with this supply of bananas on hand. It was found that one-third ripe banana pulp could be constituted for wheat flour in bread making. This prac- tice was widely adopted, and the use of the banana and other substitutes de- creased the importation of flour 51 per cent. The war problems presented to the Office of Home Economics were to make special studies of war foods and diets and prepare numerous pamphlets, which were widely used in connection with the extension work as well as for general distribution by the department and the Food Administration. Attention was >. ■■, - 146 - ->aid to thrift in the use of clothing, household supplies, and household squipment. In cooperation with other bureaus, it made special studies in the is3 cf dried fruits and vegetables, in the use of cottage cheese, and other natters relating to the food values and uses of milk, in order that proper use might be made of these available foods to take the place of vheat and fats desired for exportation to European countries. In connection with the Food Administration and the Bureau of Education of the Department of Interior, it published a series of leaflets for popular use in educating the public to the necessity for changing its diet to release wheat and fats. It also prepared a series of outlines for courses of instruction in food conservation designed for women college students interested in food conservation who were supposed to go back into their own communities as volunteer workers. 147 - THE EUR3AU 0? MARKETS The first thing that the Department of Agriculture had to consider during the war v/as the growing of more food, but there were two other tasks of scarcely less importance. One was seeing that food was properly distributed, and the other that food was not wasted. Nearly all the bureaus in the depart- ment had a part in these, just as they did in the production work, but there was one - the Bureau of Markets - wh.Cse organization naturally ran that way, and it was used more than any of the others in working out ways for better distribution and for putting the conservation doctrine into practice. Some new projects were added, others were expanded. Technical investiga- tions gave way, in large part, to the work of showing people how to do the needful things and actually helping to do them. Pains were taken to gather full information about food, food materials and feeds so that the work of dis- tributing them could be handled intelligently and to find out just how much food could safely be used at home and how much could be spared- The work was done in cooperation with the Food Administration, the War Industries Board, the Quartermasters Corps of the Army, the purchasing officers of the Navy, Councils of National Defense and other Government agencies engaged in war work. Four food and food materials surveys were made with the help of the States Relations Service and the Bureau of Crop Estimates. They showed the quantities of important foods that were in the hands of manufacturers and wholesale and retail dealers and in storage houses. Data were obtained - 14S - regarding the stocks of raw material on farms and foodstuffs in homes. The States Relations Service, in connection with the household consumption survey, assisted in making a special dietary study, the results of which were of im- portance not only during the war but promise to be permanently so. Through the assistance of the States Relations Service, reports were obtained direct frou threshers in order to determine the production of the various cereals during 1918; from April 1, 1918, monthly reports were secured from elevators, mills, warehouses and wholesale dealers in grain and flour, on commercial stocks of grain and grain products, and similar report-Si from wholesale grocers and certain manufacturers covering sugar, condensed milk, canned goods and other articles. A monthly publication, "Food Surveys," has been issued since April, 1918, giving the results of these reports. Special issues gave in detail the results of three of the four general food surveys. Cooperative Purchasing and Marketing; War conditions emphasized the importance of cooperative action in solving the purchasing and marketing problems of the growers of farm produce. Coop- erative organization problems wer9 discussed and suggestions given a large number of producers through conferences, farm bureau meetings, short courses, and similar gatherings. Personal assistance was given to many farmers in more than 30 States. Products included in these studies are fruits, vegetables, dairy products, potatoes, beans, cotton, hay, live stock, tobacco, nuts, honey, broom corn, and farm supplies. Where personal assistance could not be give.r. suggestions were made by correspondence and served as guides to many communi- ties in putting into operation plans for cooperative enterprises. A survey of cooperative enterprises in the United States was made and served not only as a distinct help during the war but is being continued under readjustment. - 149 - A very important line of work had to do with putting producers and city consumers in direct touch with each other. Demonstrations were may.e ;-' »'■ • > proper manner of preparing, packing and shipping farm products to facilitate sale direct to the consumer, and opportunities were found for marketing pro- duce which otherwise would have been wasted. An unprecedented impetus was given, as a result of the war, to motor transportation cf farm products. Work began in March, 1918, and systematic effort has been made ever since to emphasize such phases as were of assistance in solving the rural transportation problems caused by the war. Detailed in« formaxion 7i?as gathered regarding routes and items of cost. Supplementary re- ports were made for each route, showing operating conditions, business methods, facilities and general management, and all of this information was utilized in demonstrations. Detailed studies were made in a large number of districts looking toward the establishment of additional motor, freight and express lines- Eight demonst rational routes were started and have been successfully operated. Many new routes are in process of establishment, and requests for assistance are received from all sections of the country. Lists of motor trucks available during the peak of movement cf farm products were filed in some of the large cities. Interest is growing in the marketing bjp motor truck of live stock from rural sections within a radius of 75 miles of stock- yard centers. An investigator has been assigned to the Omaha section to study present methods, to stabilize the industry and to develop and extend routes into new territory. In 1917 a special investigator began work in China, Japan, eastern Siberia and the Philippines, finding out the possibilities of marketing Ameri- can fruits. This information was given Pacific Coast shippers for their - 150 - guidance during the fruit season of 1917-18. An arrangement -was made arith the Food Administration b> which the technologist in charge of Grain Standard- ization Investigations of the Bureau of Markets went to Australia t'j investi- gate the condition of large quantities of grain which had accunule-tad because no ships were to be had to take it to Europe. Arrangements wsrc r.ade for the selection and inspection of grain intended fcr shipment to the United States. In the autumn of 1918, a special investigator completed a stvdy of tno possibilities of marketing American fruit, live stock, meat, dairy product and wool in Australia, New Zealand and nearby islands. One of the- results was that American grapes are now permitted entry. With the Bureau of Plant Indus- try and the Bureau of Animal Industry, the Bureau of Markets, in the winter of 1918, investigated conditions surrounding the marketing in Etrrope of live stock, meats, dairy products and seeds to determine the demands likely to be made upen America during reconstruction. Opening up Foreign Markets Throughout the war period, information as to conditions in foreign coun- tries was collactsd. Statistics and current reports on all agricultural prod- ucts were secured and tabulated in suitable form for use in current market re- ports. At several important ports, daily information was secured from steam- ship manifests regarding exports and imports of such perishable products a.; fruits, vegetables, meats, milk, butter and cheese. Another important line of work had to do with the preservation cf fruits and vegetables in transit and storage. Investigations had been conducted for several years, particularly as to the extent of deterioration caused by im- proper methods of harvesting, packing, storing a.nd shipping. Extensive demon- strations were made to bring about th9 use of tne information already 'obtained. - 151 - Growers and handlers were shown that decay and deterioration in transit can be reduced by mere careful handling methods. Demonstrations were made to show that the efficiency of refrigerator cars could be increased by modifying tha construction. Practically all of the refrigerator cars built for the post 18 months follow the designs recommended by the Department of Agriculture. The Railroad Administration has adopted this type of car as its standard of effi- ciency. Test shipments of fruits and vegetables snowed that heavy leads prop- erly ventilated maintained s.s low a temperature as light loads. The data ob- tained showed what is necessary for frost protection and, in cooperation with the Railroad Administration, methods were worked out for the construction of heater cars. Loading demonstrations resulted in the adoption by shippers and railroad officials of regulations to reduce losses. Many common fruit storage houses have been constructed or remodeled, and important improvements have been effected in the construction, ventilation and management of houses and crll^.'s for potato storage, several hundred of which were built during the fall of 1918, in accordance with department recommendations. Adapt in g Cotton to Airplanes With the acute shortage of fats and oils that existed during the war. it became of the utmost importance that cotton seed and cottonseed produces be fully utilized. Much work was done to lessen the enormous loss and waste in marketing cotton seed and cottonseed products, to secure more and better human and animal food and to release the transportation facilities required to haul useless foreign matter mixed with the seed. One of the most spectacular pieces of work done by the Department of Agriculture directly toward the winning of the war, was the development of cotton fabric to be used as a substitute for linen in the making of airplane wings . - 152 - After the Germans took Riga, the Allies were almost completely de- prived of raw material out of which to make airplane fabrics. From the be- ginning of flying machine development , it had been thought that linen was the only suitable material for making the wings, but in the vicissitudes of war, it came about that the enemy got possession of practically all of the flax in the world, the material from which linen is made. Ninety per cent of all the flax came from Russia, Courland and contiguous territory. After Russia went to pieces and particularly after, the Germans closed the Gulf of Riga, it did not come, it either stayed where it was or went to Germany. An- other 6 per cent of the world's output of flax was already in German possession in conquered Belgium so that for airplane and other needs the Allied nations had access to not more than 4 per cent of the output of flax. Unless a sub- stitute could be secured, the Allied armies would very shortly have no "eyes in the air." That was in August, 1917. In its extremity, the Bureau of Air- craft Production called a conference of representatives of the Bureau of Standards of the Department of Commerce, the Signal Corps of the Army, and the Bureaus of Plant Industry and Markets of the Department of Agriculture. As a result of this conference, the Bureau of Markets undertook to make a cotton substitute for airplane linen. Tests were instituted to determine the possi- bility of using Sea-Island, American Egyptian and regular Egyptian cotton of the Sakellaridis variety. Experts of the Department of Agriculture took charge of jsorae cotton mills that were turned over for the purpose end began making spinning tests. What they had to develop was a fabric possessing both the maximum of tensile strength and tearing strength with the minimum of elasticity. It was not long until they had made such a fabric, which was adopted as the international standard for airplanes. f 153 - Substitute for B al loon Silk At the saae time another line of investigations was carried out in an effort to find a substitute balloon fabric. The necessity for this was not so urgent as that for airplane fabric. Sufficient silk to make balloons could be obtained but it had to be brought from Japan and China which; owing to the shortage of ships and the submarine warfare waged by the Germans, was not an easy thing to do. Now an airplane fabric is one thing and a balloon fabric is quite another thing. An airplane fabric should have absolutely no elasticity. It must possess the highest possible measure of strength and resistence to tear, and it must be of extremely open weave. Nearly all the things that an airplane fabric must be, a balloon fabric must not be. Balloon fabric must be of exceedingly close weave, so close that, with a little rubberizing, gas can not get through it. These two dissimilar needs the cotton experts of the De- partment of Agriculture met out of the same materials. As a result of these investigations, between 50 and SO of the largest fine-goods mills in the United States were engaged in the production of airplane and balloon fabrics. During the last few months of the war, the shortage of these fabrics was overcome and a reserve of several million yards was acquired. Burlap was another material the commercial supply of which was practi- cally wiped out by the war. The bulk of burlap sacks originally came from India. During the war, the British Government took practically the ent5.re out- put for sand bags in the defensive works along the "Western Front. The supply for export to the United States was reduced, toward the vanishing point and prices went up accordingly. It was necessary to develop grain handling methods that would require fewer sacks. Prior to 1917, practically all the- grain in the States of Oregon, - 154 - Washington and Idaho was handled in socks. The f armors, country shippers and dealers, as a rule, did not know how to handle grain in bulk. The Bureau of Markets sent to the Northwest men who were thoroughly familiar with bulk handling of grain. They advised the farmers how to handle grain from the threshing machine, how to construct portable and stationary farm granaries, how to obtain and operate bulk wagons, granary elevators and other equipment necessary for handling grain in bulk on the farm. They con- ferred with farmers' cooperative organizations, with line companies and with independent dealers about the management "of bins, the construction and equipment of country elevators and similar matters. They assisted in the construction of a terminal elevator built by the municipality of Portland, Ore. This work produced desirable effects other than the saving of burlap sacks. During the war, most of the wheat grown in the Pacific .Northwest came East instead of going to tho Pacific Coast for milling or export as it had done prior to the war. The eastern markets handle grain in bulk and pre- fer not to receive it in sacks. The increased acreage planted to wheat as a result of war stimulation adied to the necessity of providing additional handling and storage facilities to take care of the crop. The change in the system of handling Pacific Coast grain probably will be permanent. Sto r-ping Faste in Food Grains It was necessary during the war to stop every possible waste of wheat and other food grains. One of the most serious elements of loss had always been fires from dust explosions in mills and elevators and at threshing machines. Millions of bushels of wheat had been destroyed every year in that way. A campaign was conducted by the Bureau of Chemistry, the Bureau of Markets, and the Bureau of Plant Industry for the prevention of such - 155 - losses. Investigations were made in all the principal wheat-producing sec- tions. The department recommended the installation of suction flues to re- move smut and grain dust, the installation of automatic fire extinguishers, and of a system to remove static electricity which was frequently the cause of the explosive mixture becoming ignited. A special educational campaign was made to show owners of mills and elevators and their workmen the condi- tions under which dust explosions and fires occur and the methods by which they may be prevented. A great many meetings were held. Information was presented by lectures, by lantern slides and motion pictures and by actual demonstrations of dust explosions. That work was begun in November, 1917. During 1918, not a single grain dust explosion of much consequence occurred in the whole country, Many similar fires have occurred every year in cotton gins, causing tre- mendous losses. During 1913, a campaign was begun for the prevention of cotton gin explosions and fires. During the fall about 450 gins were visited and investigations made as to the causes of fires. Information was furnished to owners and operators, just as in the case of the mills and elevators, as to the proper operation of the gins in order to avoid explosions. This cam- paign was begun a year later than that of grain dust explosion, and has not progressed so far but methods are developing which will reduce the number of fires in cotton gins. The several lines of market news service established shortly after the United States became a party to the world war, have proved among the most effective aids in facilitating the distribution of products by bringing the producers and the consumers in touch with each other. - 156 - The market nteWs service on fruits and vegetables, established prior to the war, was greatly enlarged during the emergency. Daily reports are issued on 32 of the more important fruit and vegetable crops and distributed to all interested persons. They give carload shipments, the jobbing price in the principal markets, f. o.b, prices and other 6hipping-point information. Over 10,000,000 Market Reports Thirty-two market stations were in operation at the beginning of the fiscal year 1918 and 20 others were opened during the year. During 1917, over 10,000,000 complete daily reports were issued from market field stations. The number of subscribers was about 90,000. During 1918, the number of reports issued increased to 23,000,000, and the number of subscribers to 120,000, By special arrangements, reports have been received of local receipts and local market conditions in a number of cities not yet covered by the agents of the city market service. This information is published in daily or bi-daily reports for hotels, restaurants and stores. A special weekly review, showing the trend and fancies of the principal markets, is furnished to agricultural and trade papers. This review is based on the daily market reports of more than 500 carriers and is distributed to dealers, producers and other interested persons. The market news service on live stock and meats;, had been established on a relatively small scale prior to the war and branch offices had been opened in several cities. Emergency funds made it possible to provide for largee increases in the forces at these offices and to extend the leased wire service and to open offices in twelve other cities. Daily reports on meat trade conditions and a weekly review, showing the trend of meat movements and the '•.•"*';■. .';••:.;•• , !■-.'■ .*:."• ■ . .•.■.».M. -..'- : - /•<■; ^ ■-y-v;.. 7 > .;•> ■• ■ ■. ' ■■ . ;-'• . '•: \>-; .j;'' : ."( ' ".- '".''■"■•-•' V ' ';:' J' ■' • • : ■ . : '; .-■■••.• . '; Tf ■ ~ ■■ ...-■-•■ . .• ' • .-• ... .it*; ," vS . ., ..■ . ;*. . ■ , / ■- . ■••■•:! J ■•■■'•••■ v.. .„•.? • ■•:«...•-■ i.r •. • r ■:.•''". • - ••; '. " i: ■ -... .:■ ■ ■•. • ■■■'.■ I . !j :.-), .. IV ; . ..:; . 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Tre review is particularly interesting to wholesale merchants, live-stock dealers and commission men. During 1916, about 4,000,000 copies of the daily report and 700,000 copies of the weekly review were distributed. Since July 1, 1917, daily telegraphic reports have been received from railroad division superintendents showing the number of cars of each class of live stock loe.ded west of the Allegheny mountains. On January 1, 1918, Ihis -service was extended to include the railroads throughout the United States. The reports show points of origin and destinations of all shipments. A monthly report from the officials of 81 stockyards shows the receipts for the shipment and slaughter of live stock. Fifty-two of these yards report the number of stockers and breeders driven out to feeding districts. Information is collected showing the in and out movement of live stock in certain large feeding districts. This information is published weekly in "The Live Stock and Meat Trade News." Since June 1, 1918, all telegraphic market reports from Chicago Union Stockyards on live stock receipts and prices have been handled by the Bureau of Markets. This service is made available throughout the United States through the press associations. War Prod uce s New Market Services The market news service on dairy and poultry products is purely an out- growth of war conditions. The reports furnish a review of the dairy pro- duction of each State and the country as a whole. They have been used by various Governmental agencies, including the War Trade Board, the Shipping Board and the Fuel Administration, in determining policies relating to the conservation and market distribution of these products. Daily market reports are issued from the Washington office and from - 158 - eight branch offices, furnishing information en price.-., trade conditions, receipts, storage movement, and stocks in the hands of wholesalers and jobbers. Since July 1, 1918, these reports have included information on market prices of fluid milk and cream and condensed and evaporated milk, in addition to the wide range of manufactured dair3 r products previously included. Another news service growing wholly out of war conditions is that of grain, hay and feeds, branch ofi'ices are operated at New York, Richmond, At- lanta, Chicago. Minneapolis , Kansas City, Oklahoma City, Denver, Spokane and San Francisco, and from them are issued by-weekly reports containing statisti- cal information on the stocks of hay, grain and feeds, the supply of and de- mand for them, and the prices at which they are being bought and cold in car- load lots. Weekly news letters are issued showing the supply, demand, prices and movement at all the principal markets. Special surveys have been made from time to time covering various phases of the work. Thousands of cattle were saved from starvation in the districts where severe drought has occurred by the work of the emergency branch offices at ^ort Forth, Tex. , and bi«5m?rck, K. Dak. The Fort Y. T orth office was opened in December, 1917, and maintained for several months. Its surveys covered Texas, New Mexico and contiguous territory, the object being to assist in re- curing feedstuffs for the cattle raisers in the drought stricken areas. The Bismarck office wa3 opened during the latter months of 1913 and rendered assistance in distributing hay and feed to the cattle men in the drought area of the Dakotas and Montana. Surveys were made at the request of the Food Administration to determine the amount of feedstuffs in the north Atlantic States, and the supplies of - 159 - lield peas in the Southeartorn States. Another survey, made at the request of the Railroad Administration, furnished information on the location and quantity of 30ft corn of the 1917 crop as it became ready for shipment. This information was used by the Director General of railroads in distributing oars in such a Vvay as to save this great quantity of feed from total loss. Timely Info rmation on Seed When the war broke out, it became apparent that, if the food production was not to be hampered by shortages of seed in any section of the country, much greater effort would have to be made by the Department of Agriculture in giving special information to growers and dealers. A special reporting service, there- fore, was organized, and a monthly publication was issued to give timely seed » information. Field offices were established in Chicago, Minneapolis, San Fran- cisco, Denver and Spokane. Vegetable, clover, and alfalfa surveys were mads in November, 1917. Three subsequent seed and vegetable surveys were mads. Through them, a comprehensive inventory was taken of the seed stocks of the country. Two special surveys of vegetable seed production were made. The information ob- tained was used in cooperation with the Department Seed Stocks Committee in seed stock distribution. Assistance was rendered in finding lots of wheat and rye in the Northwest, and judging their suitability for seed and in purchasing and distributing seed in the drought stricken areas in Montana and North Dakota. Information was furnished to the War Trade Board to assist it in shaping its policy icr exportation and importation of seeds, and special assistance was given in providing for Canada's requirements of several seeds. Information ob- tained in connection with this service is published in "The Seed 'Reporter," and special reports are issued when emergencies arise that require special con- sideration. - 130 - Weekly seed corn reports wei-e issued from Chicago, Minneapolis and Kansas City during the spring of 1918 when there was difficulty in finding enough sound seed corn. The city market reporting service has had a marked tendency to reduce mar- ket gluts by increasing the consumption of abundant products. A consumer's report and a grower's report ar9 issued. The former is made public through iccal newspapers, care being taken to avoid all technical expressions and to see that the reports may be helpful guides to the housewife" in buying fresh fruits, vegetables, poultry, and other food. In some cases a "fair price" list is published. The growers' reports are distributed daily at farmers' markets or nailed tc the farmers. In them, products in the market are grouped under heads showing whether the demand is active, moderate or poor. A brief dis- cussion is made of market features and tables are furnished, showing whether the supplies of various products are light, moderate, liberal or heavy, the prices received by the growers and the prices received by the wholesalers and aommission dealers, carload arrivals of certain products on the day of issue, and the total number of unbroken and broken cars en local tracks. Truck grow- ers and less than carload shippers surrounding the larger markets are thus enabled to adapt their marketing procedure to conditions. Reforms in Mer cha ndising Methods Careful studies are made of modern merchandising methods as they apply to food products, including stores that charge separately for goods delivered and charged and the "self serve" stores. The results of these studies have shown that, from the standpoint of consumers, producers and dealers alike, the hand- ling of foodstuffs on large volume, quick turnovers and small unit profits ^s desirable. In this way it has been ascertained that the cost of food distri- but ion nay be effectively reduced and spoilage and deterioration held to a minimum. Throughout the period of the war, trans port at ion conditions were such that the manufacturers, distributors and users of commodities in agricultural pro- duction had difficulty in obtaining cars. Many complaints and appeals for assis- tance wore received from producers and distributors and all of them were re- ferred to the Transportation Division of the Bureau of Markets. The bureau detailed transportation experts to heavy producing sections to -work in close cooperation with producers and carriers in an effort to secure better service, to avoid shortages of cars and to secure refrigeration in transit by making the fullest utilization of equipment by heavier and s*# better loading. Regulations regarding the distribution and cold storage of foodstuffs were formulated by the Bureau of Markets in cooperation with the Food Administration, Assistance was given to the Quartermasters Corps of the United States Army in planning better methods for the handling and cold storage of meat products in- tended for the Army abroad. The Food Production Act authorized the Secretary of Agriculture to investi- gate and certify to shippers the condition of fruits and vegetables received at important central markets. To perf oru that function, the Food Products In- spection Service was instituted in the larger cities throughout the country. New markets were added from time to time. At present, inspection offices are maintained in 32 of the largest cities, and from these 14 additional markets nerved. By authority contained in the Agriculture Appropriation Bill, inspections can be made not enly at the request of the shipper, as previously, but at the request of any party having a financial interest in the shipment, and certif- - 16 - icates can be made as to the quality and grade, as well as the condition of soundness. This work has resulted in the saving of a great ieal of food which would otherwise have been lost. The inspection eliminates delays, brings about speedy adjustments and practically puts out of business the fly-by-night commission operator who formerly bought on a gamble and rejected shipments without ??use if the price went down before the shipment arrived. Inspection Service Aids Food Administration The United States Food Administration made use of the Food Products In- spection Service of the Department of Agriculture. The surveys issued by the inspectors -/ere commonly used as a basis of settlement of disputes between shippers and consumers and the adjudication of disputes with the Food Adminis- tration officials. Much work was done by the inspectors in collaboration with the subsistence officers at the various Army posts and cantonments. Inspec- tors at the various markets made a practice of visiting the Army camps located in their districts at regular intervals and made timely suggestions regarding the inspection of vegetables -upon arrival at camp, ths msthods of storage, etc. At the request of the Navy Department, the service was extended to cover the inspection of foodstuffs purchased for the Navy at New York and at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station. Prior to that time, the best dealers were not inclined to bid en Navy contracts because they could not compete with those who -supplied products of inferior grade and condition. After the In- spection Service was put in force, large quantities of vegetables delivers :T to the transports were condemned and the actual receipts were confined to scunc stock suitable to carry in the hold of the ship. During the war period, standard grades for certain staple vegetables were worked out ar.d recommended. The United states Food Administration made - 163 - these grades compulsdry* They were e.lso adapted by the Amy as a basis on which to make all of its purchases. In this way the movement of a large crop was facilitated and market conditions generally made better. The authority contained in the Food Production Act has greatly facilitated the work of the Department of Agriculture in securing good storage reports. These reports now include 44 commodities and are based on the information re- ceived from practically all of the cold-storage and meat-packing establishments in the United States. The Government prices fixed for wheat are based -upon the standards es- tablished by the Department of Agriculture, and these standards have been used in practically all sales of wheat since the beginning of the war. The elimina- tion of competition by the establishing of a fixed price for 1917 wheat brought about entirely new conditions for the grain trade. The Federal wheat grades on which the prices were based had been made effective a very short time before, but the advisability of revising them to meet the changed condi- tions was considered. Suggestions as to the revision of the standards were in- vited from all grain interests. Twenty-two public hearings were held to secure, at first hand, the ideas of all branches of the grain trade. As a result, a revision of both the wheat and corn standards was promulgated by the Secretary of Agriculture and became effective on July 15, 1918. Grading; for Grain Corporation LIuch inspection work has been done for zone agents of the grain corpora- tion in determining the grades of samples. Cooperative work was done with the War Trade Board in the inspection of corn going to Canada. Such corn was %-hipped under license, accompanied by inspection surveys indicating the grade. This was done principally to protect the farmers of United States against -.• . . ' ■ . . . ..■••.. - >. '. '.:■:. . ' ' •■• .7 r ■ " . ;■ ' . ! i ■••■■• -9 - 15* - shortage of seed corn. During the fall and winter of 1918, the grain corporation made large purchases of wheat based upon the Federal grades, and close cooperation was maintained by the Department of Agriculture. Intensive supervision was main- tained on all deliveries. Many appeals on grades assigned have been enter- tained. During November and December, appeals were checked involving an aggregate of 12,000,000 bushels of wheat. General suprevision of wheat delivered to the corporation is constantly maintained. It was found necessary to explain and demonstrate tc country grain dealers, consumers and farmers, the application of the Federal grades. Some sections of the country had not been accustomed to the purchase and sale of grain by grades prior to that time. Staging with July, 1918, a series of grain grading exhibits were made at the State fairs throughout the northern and western grain belts. During the summer and fall of 1917, grading schools were held in interior grain sections for the purpose of showing farmers and dealers how to inspect grain according to the standards. Representatives of the Bureau of Markets carried with them the necessary grain grading equipment and samples. Several State agricultural colleges that offered courses and lectures on the grading of farm products in- vited the bureau to make an inspection in connection with farmers' week or during the farmers' convention at the schools. Two such exhibits were made in January, 1919. The shortage of nitrates for use in fertilizers appeared at the beginning of the war as one of the most serious limiting factors in increasing food crops production. As a step toward meeting that need, Congress appropriated - 165 - $10*000,000 to be used as a revolving fund for the purchase of nitrate of soda to be sold to farmers at cost. By direction of the President, the War Indus- tries Board handled the purchase of the nitrate and the Secretary of Agriculture its sale and distribution. The Bureau of Markets was the agency through which the v/ork was done. About 120,000 short tons of nitrate war, purchased and ar- rangements were made to secure, through the Shipping Board, tonnage sufficient, to transport it from Chile to this country. Early in 1918, the price was es- tablished at §75.50 a ton, f.o.b. the cars at the point of arrival. This price was announced in April, 1918. Applications were received totaling more than the quantity of nitrate purchased. These applications came from county agricultural agents and committees of business men appointed for the purpose. Distributing Ni t rate to Farmers ' On account of the lack of available shipping facilities, it was possible to bring in only about 75,000 tons up to July, 1916. Practically all of this nitrate had been shipped to the farmers by that date. It early became evident', that because of lack of vessels, sufficient nitrate could not arrive in time to make complete delivery during the period of greatest need. In order to make the quickest and most equitable disposition of such supplies as were received and to save the farmers tho interest on the deposits required to be made in payment for it, there was appointed a distributor tovhtom shipments were made. This distributor apportioned the nitrate to the farmers of his county. i The distribution of the nitrate purchased from the War Department wassunder« taken in the spring of 1919. It is sold at §81 a ton f.o,b. the shipping point. On June 18, 1918, a proclamation was issued by the President requiring stockyards to secure licenses from the Secretary of Agriculture on or about. July 25, 1918. On September 6, 1918, this proclamation was supplemented to in- clude the stockyards' activities of slaughterers and Tenderers. The chief - 165 - of the Bureau of Markets was designated by the Secretary of Agriculture to administer the supervision of licensees under the proclamation. A force, of market supervisors was organized and 30 men were stationed at cen- tral points, exercising effective supervision over more than 100 licensed stockyards. On January 1, 1919, 2,285 licenses- had bean issued to stockyards, live-stock commission concerns, traders, packers and Tenderers. Complaints have been received from time to time concerning alleged violations of the regulations, and hearings have been held for the purpose of determining the issues involved. A number of complaints are now pending which involve questions of considerable moment to live stock interests and especially to live-stock producers. These complaints will be settled as soon as the necessary investigations and hearings have been completed. The services of the supervisors in relieving congestion in large mar- kets during the periods of heavy receipts, in improving weighing and yardage conditions, in expediting delivery service on belt line railroads and in numerous other directions ha.ve been highly commended by the patrons of these markets. The marked improvements effected and irregularities in market practices which have been corrected demonstrate the effectiveness of Governm. 'it supervision over the live-stock markets and the consequent im- portance of adopting such supervision as a permanent measure. 167 - TI-SE DIVIFTON OF PUBLICATIONS Long before the entrance of the United States into the war, the De- partment of Agriculture was engaged in stimulating the production of farm products and the conservation of food stuffs. After this country got into the struggle, the department's activities were more intense and, when addi- tional funds were granted, were greatly increased. This dissemination of useful and timely information in relation to agriculture is one of the two original functions of the department. Naturally, its efforts to influence food production and conservation largely found expression through its publi- cations. It fell to the lot of the Division of Publications and the Office of Information to prepare and distribute the printed matter which should success- fully appeal to the farmer for a determined effort to increase the farm out- put sufficiently to assure victory. During the first three months of war- April, May, and June, 1917 - 200 publications, amounting to 7,335,000 copies were issued and distributed; during the year ending June 30, 1918, 1,200 publications were issued in ex- cess of those issued during the year preceding, aggregating over 30,000,000 copies; and for the six months ending December 31, 1918, 31 additional pub- lications appeared, of which there were 11,760,000 copies. In 21 months, a grand aggregate of nearly 1,450 emergency publications, amounting to prac- tically 49,500,000 copies were edited, printed and distributed by the Division of Publications in addition to the usual work, as measured by prewar data. From April 1, 1917, when the department inaugurated its campaign to - 168 - increase the production of foods and to conserve the food supply of the country, to December 31, 1918, the Division of Publication," used the stimulating-agriculture fund to edit, supervise the printing, and dis- tribute emergency leaflets, circulars, bulletins, posters, folders, placards, etc., to the number of 49,429,283. All of this printing was prepared specially to stimulate agriculture to help win the war and was in addition to the regular activities of the division. During the war the division has had at its command from the regular and emergency appropriations about yl, 000, 000 for printing and distributing information and suggestions, and with this sum about 200,000,000 copies of over 5,000 documents have been sent out in the intensive campaign to in- crease food production and to conserve the food supply. Valuable Bulletins Help Win War For emergency printing, to assist in this campaign, the department had special appropriations, aggregating about $279,462. Some of the regular publications were utilized in the campaign. The following Farmers' Bulletins were used: Farmers' Bulletins No. 824. How to Select Foods: III. Foods Rich in Protein. " 840. Farm Sheep Raising for Beginners. " 850. How to Make Cottage Cheese on the Farm. '.' 853. Home Canning of Fruits and Vegetables. rl 871. Fresh Fruits and Vegetables as Conservers of other Staple Foods. " 879. Home' Storage of Vegetables. " 881. Preservation of Vegetables by Fermentation and Salting. " 884. Saving Vegetable Seeds for the Home and Market Garden. " 900. Homemade Fruit Butters, " 915. How to Reduce Weevil Waste in Southern Corn. " 924, A simple Way to Increase Crop Yields. " 934. Home Gardening in the South. " 936, The City and Suburban Vegetable Garden. - 15? - No. 937. The Farm' Garden in the North. " 955. Use of Wheat Flour Substitutes in Baking, " 966. A simple Hog-Breeding Crate. n 937v Labor-saving practices in Haymaking. " 991. The Efficient Operation of Threshing Machines. The titles of the emergency leaflets, pamphlets, circulars, folders, and posters issued are: Leaflets United States Food Leaflets: 1. Start the Day Right. 2. Do you know Corn Meal? 3. A Whole Dinner in Cne Dish. 4. Choose your Food Wisely. 5. Make a Little Meat go a L ong Way. 6. Do you Know Oatmeal? 7. Food for your Children. 8. Instead of Meat. 9. Vegetables for Winter. 10. Plenty of Potatoes. 11. Milk the Best Food we Have. 12. Save Fuel when you Cook. 13. Let the Fireless Cooker Help you Conquer. 14. Save Sugar: Use other Sweets. 15. Dry Peas and Beans. 16. Fresh Vegetables. 17. Use More Fish. 18.. Rice. 19. Hominy. 20. Wheatless Bread and Cakes. 21. Keeping Tab on the Poultry Business. 22. Library Leaflets. 4, 5, 6, 7. Other Leaflets; First Care of Baby Chicks. Farm Labor Problems. Five Little Pigs. Pork Production in 1918. The President to the Farmers. Common Poultry Diseases. Seeds and Plants for Home Garden. Selection and Care of Poultry. Breeding Stock. Plant a Garden. A Simple Trap Nest for Poultry. Care and Feeding of Chicks. How tc Set a Ken and Care for Her. Ways to Use Cotta.ge Cheese. Cottage Cheese, an Inexpensive Meat Substitute. Seme Directions for Making Cottage Cheese. - 170 - Use Potatoes to Save Wheat. Chinch-Bug Leaflet. Grasshopper Control. Cutworm Leaflet. Grasshoppers. Turn Cold into Gold. Skim Milk for Human Food. Potato BiackHe'art. Home Canning of Meats and Sea Food. The Cattle Tick and the War. Spray Schedules for Apples. Potato Beetles. Spraying Potato Fields. Garden Plant Lice. Cabbage Worm. Pamphlets: Movable Hog Houses. Apple Spraying Schedule, Southern States. Why we Went to War. Steps to Victory. A City Woman Who found her War Job on the Fane. The Business of Agriculture. Delicious Products of the Dairy. Ice: A Harvest Crop in Midwinter. Circulars and Folders Swine Production Should be Increased. Preserving Eggs in Waterglass Solution and Limewater. Safe Farming and What it Means for the South in 1918. Back Yard Poultry Keeping. American Standard Poultry. Women on the Farm. Control of Potato Leaf Spot. Powdery Dry Rot of Potatoes. Use Fotatoes to Save Wheat. Egg Circular for Southern States. Cottage Cheese Dishes. Saving Eggs is Public Service. Use Barley, 'Save Wheat. Use Peanut Meal to Save Wheat and Fat. Use Soy Bean Meal to Save Wheat, Meat and Fat. Selection and Treatment of Seed Potatoes to Avoid Diseases* It is Possible to Prevent Grain Dust Explosions and Fires. Put a Stop to Grain Dust Explosions and Fires in Threshing Machines. Points for Poultry Packers. Points for Egg Buyors. Raise Chickens. Supply the Farm Labor Need. Formulas for Sugar- Saving Sirups.. Use Rice Flour to Save Wheat. Cottage-Cheese Dishes. Hatch Early. A Method for Preparing a Commercial Grade of Calcium Arsenate. Use Peanut Flour to Save Wheat. Use Scy-Pear. Flour to Save Wheat, Meat, Fat. Use Potatoes to Save Wheat. Labor Saving in Live Stock Production. Finding Labor to Harvest Food Crops. More Poultry Heeded. Use Corn Meal and Corn Flour to Save Wheat. Use Oats to Save Wheat. Prevent Threshing-Machine Fires. Posters Raise Mere Poultry. The Sweet Potato Weevil. Have Eggs to Sell when Eggs are Scarce. Raise Pigs and Help v.dn the War. Do not Sell Laying Hens. Rats. Cutworms. Chinch Bug. Turn Cold into Gold. Fight Wheat Rust. Potato Beetles. Grasshoppers. Garden Cutworms. Save Seed for Victory. Dust Explosions and Fires in Mills. Spraying Potato Fields. Garden Plant Lice. Cabbage Worm. Food is Going Up in Smoke. The Country Heeds You to Harvest Corn - The Country Heeds You to Harvest Cotton. Raise More Poultry. Apple Sprayir r Schedule, Southern States. Spray Schedule for Apples, Porthern States. Make Every Egg Cour.t. Charts , Home Canning. Saturdays too for Food Production. Climax Basket Loading. The Man Behind the Plow is the Man Behind the Gun. Farming Problems in 1919. More Money for Better Hides. The European Corn Borer. Join a Sheep Club. Save Fuel in Dairy Plants. — .L t — Posters and Films Carry Lies page s » The Section of Illustrations' contribution toward winning the '.var consisted in the preparation of a number of posters designed to promote foci production and conservation, and cf several thousand lcurbern slides for the American Red Gross to bo used in educational campaigns, the necessary material being furnished by that organization. In the Motion Picture Section, films were produced to stimulate in- creased agricultural production and food conservation, and were exhibited in ail parts of the country directly and through cooperation with the notion picture industry. In addition, special campaigns were conducted in motion picture theatres through the aid of slides, trailers, animated cartoons, and news pictures in film weeklies. Films were furnished, also, for use abroad. For the dissemination of information by means of motion pictures which, before that time, had beer conducted only on an experimental basis, Congress made an allotment which enabled tho department to under- take the systematic development of this activity as a war measure. Films were given wide distribution in about 40 war emergency subjects as follows: Construction of Concrete Silo; Construction on a Wooden Koop Silo. Cooperative Cow Testing in Vermont. Lambs frou Range to i«Iarket. From Wool to Cloth. Control oi Hog Cholera. Government Poultry Farm, Beltsville, Maryland. Milk and Honey. Types of Hordes ax the Washington H orse Show. Uncle Yarn's Pig Club Work. Why Eat Sottage Cheese. Bituminous Macadam Road Construction. Cement and Concrete Tests. Concrete Road Construction. Gravel Road Construction. - 173 - Macadam Road Construction. Road Construction and Maintenance, and Road Tests with Traction Dynanometer. Testing Rock to Determine Its Value for Road Building. Grazing Industry on the National Forests. Lumbering Yellow Pine in the Southwest. Lumbering Lodgepole Pine. Lodgepole Pine for Railroad Ties. National Forest as Recreation Grounds and "Bull Run" - Portland's Water Supply. The Wichita National Forest and Game Preserve. The Work of a Forest Ranger, Tree Planting on the National Forests. What a Careless Hunter in the Woods Can Do. Agricultural and Forest Resources of the United States. Control of Pink Bollworm of Cotton. Drying Fruits and Vegetables in the Home. Dust Explosions (A technical reel). Helping the Farmers of Tomorrow. To Feed a Hungry World. Cooperative Berry Growing in Pacific Northwest. Cotton. Poultry Pests and their Control. Preventing th9 Spread 01 the Gipsy and Brown-tail Lioths. Congressional Seed Distribution. Pythian Disease of Potatoes. Strawberry Industry in Kentucky and Bridge Grafting to Save Trees. Work of the Forest Products Laboratory. The equivalent of about 600 reels was shown in this country about 2,000 times, to about a million people, mainly by representatives of the department. They were exhibited at field and demonstration meetings, municipal gatherings, schools, churches, expositions, county and State fairs, and in motion picture theatres. In addition to this educational distribution, a large commercial film manufacturing and distributing com- pany made releases in its screen magazines of abridgments of sixteen of these films. At least 30 copies of each of the films released commercially were distributed to motion picture theatres. They were shown at about 1,000 theatres to approximately 5,000,000 people. - 174 - M otion Picture Work Bf fsetive The motion picture laboratory was used, also, by the Division of Films of the ■Committee or. Public JaSormation in conjunction with the force of this department for a period of about eight months. Nineteen reels of negative belonging to the Department of Agriculture were loaned to the Committee on Public Info -.-mat ion for the making of prints for use in this country and abroad. In the early months cf the war, before their own laboratories were es- tablished, the Signal Corps and Medical Corps of the Army frequently. made use of the motion picture laboratory and its equipment in the preparation of their films. In addition, the projection room of the laboratory was at all times at the disposal of the various War .Boards and Foreign Llissions. The department supervised the exhibition of motion pictures of several other branches of the Government, in conjunction with its own, on six circuits of State fairs in twenty-three States, at which about 100,000 people were reached. Film was also mp.de available for exhibition to the people of France and Russia and to the soldiers, sailors and marines of this country and cf those nations associated with it. Four major campaigns were conducted through motion picture theatres during the year as follows: Eight thousand lantern slider, dealing with the preservation of. perish- able fruits anc vegetables were distributed for use in 2,000 motion picture theatres in the States of Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey, where reports received by the department indicated that there was danger of a loss of a large amount of such perishables. The Forest Service conducted a fores-- fire prevention campaign, through motion pictures, in California, in cooperation with State agencies and a private film corporation. - 175 - Commercial motion picture weekly reels carried special pictures re- garding the production of back-yard poultry, together with trailers urging that more poultry be raised as a war measure. The largest campaign dealt with farm labor. The eight motion picture news weeklies carried news pictures, animated cartoons, and trailers from March until midsummer making appeals for the enlisting in farm work of people from the cities. Many other commercial films carried trailers on this subject. While it is impossible to measure the effect of these efforts, it is known that millions of people were reached and that, as a direct re- sult, much farm labor was recruited. .76 - THE OFFICE OF EXHIBITS More than 13,000,000 people saw, during 1918, exhibits made wholly or in part by the Department of Agriculture and designed especially for the purpose of promoting greater production of farm crops, preventing food waste, to stimulate various activities toward winning the war and to develop the strongest feelings of loyalty. One series of exhibits, covering more than thirty exhibitions and demonstrations, was planned and carried out wholly by the Department of Agriculture with the cooperation of fair and exposition associations. . These exhibitions had to do with food production, conservation and distribution. The territory covered extended from New Englsndto Florida and from the At- lantic Coast west to Illinois and Texas. Another series of exhibitions was carried out jointly with the depart- ments of War, Navy, and Interior, the Food Administration and the Committee on Public Information, fair and exposition associations cooperating. The exhibits filled eleven large freight cars. These were divided into six lots anu sent out on as many circuits, each circuit in charge of an expert from the Department of Agriculture. When installed the exhibits in each circuit filled a floor space of from 8,000 to 10,000 feet. The public everywhere manifested a keen interest in these displays. They were made the "feature exhibit" of the fairs and were admittedly the drawing card that brought the record-breaking crowds. Exhibits Instruct Crowds at Fairs Following are the places at which the Department of Agriculture ex- hibitn of the first series were shown: - 177 - Place i 1 a 1 r Date Cleveland, Ohio Topeka, Kans.r Berlin, Conn. Hutchison, Kans. Witchita, Kans. New York, N.Y. Dallas, Tex; .- Meridian, Miss. Columbus, Ohio New Orleans, La. Shrewsbury, La. Kansas City, Mo. Chicago, Ill- New York, N.Y. Springfield, 111. Cleveland, Ohio Chicago, 111. Peoria ; 111. Jacksonville, Fla. Baltimore, Md. New York, N.Y. Baltimore, Md. New York, N.Y. Industrial Fair and Exposition Topeka, State Fair Conn. State Fair Society The Kansas State Fair International Wheat Show New York Electrical Expositions State Fair of Texas Miss. - Alabama Fair National Dairy Show National Farm & Live Stock Show Jefferson Parish Fair The Greater Poultry Exposition Association The Chicago Poultry Show Annual Poultry Show The Centennial Poultry Show Cleveland Pure Food Show Patriotic Food Show Illinois State Poultry Show State Fair of Florida Patriotic Food Show "Over There" Nat'l Milk & Dairy Farm Expo- sition War Food Bureau Patriotic Food Show Sept. Sept. Sept. Sept. Oct. Oct. Oct. Oct. Oct. Nov. Nov. 1-9, 10-15 10-15 17-22 1-15, 10-20, 13-28, 15-20, 18-27, 10-17, 21-25, 1917. , 1917. , 1917. , 1917. 1917. 1917. 1917. 1917. 1917. 1917. 1917. Nov. 26, Dec. 2, 1917. Dec. 4-9, 1917. Dec. 28-Jan. 2, 1918. Dec. 28-Jan. 2, 1918. Feb. 4-9, 1918. Jan. 5-13, 1918. Jan. 18-22, 1918. Feb. 26-Mar. 9, 1918. Apr. 1-30, 1918. May 20-27, 1918. June 3-15, 1918. June 14-22, 1918. Win dow Shows and Ot he r Special Exhibits New York, N.Y. Lancaster, Pa. New York, N.Y. York, Pa. Brooklyn, N.Y. Washington, D.C. Baltimore, Md. Washington, D.C. Conservation Exhibit & Window display Canning and Food Conservation Window Show and Hall Exhibit Window S hows Only Canning Food Canning Canning Conservation Aug. 1-30, 1917. Aug. 20-27, 1917. Sept. 10-20, 1917. Aug. 27-Sept. 6, 1917. Sept. 3-10, 1917. July, 1917. July, 1917. Nov. 1-6, 1917. - 178 - Second Series of Fair Exhibits The .j.oint Government exhibits the second series, were shown as follows: Place Fair Date CIRCUIT NO. 1 Sedalia,' Mo. Des Moines, Iowa Hamiline, Minn. Milwaukee, Wis. Oklahoma City, Okla. Wichita, Kans. Waco, Tex. CIRCUIT NO. 2 Erie, Pa. Rochester, N.Y. Syracuse, N.Y. Berlin, Conn. Trenton, N.J. CIRCUIT NO. 3 Springfield, 111. Detroit, Mich. Nashville , Tenn. Memphis , Tenn. Knoxville, Tenn. Atlanta, Ga. Mac on , Ga. Valdosta, Ga. Jacksonville, Fla. CIRCUIT NO. 4. Columbus, Ohio Indianapolis , Ind. Topeka, Kans. Hutchinson, Kans. Muskogee, Okla. Kansas City, 40. CIRCUIT NO. 5. Lincoln, Itebr. Douglas, Wyo. Missouri State Fair Iowa State Fair Minnesota State Fair Wisconsin State Fair Oklahoma State Fair & Exposition Wichita International Exposition Texas Cotton Palace Erie Exposition Rochester Exposition & Korse Show New York State Fair Connecticut State Fair Interstate Fair Ass'n. Illinois Centennial State Fair Michigan State Fair Tennessee State Fair Memphis Tri-State Fair East Tennessee Division Fair Southeastern Fair Ass'n. Georgia State' Fair Georgia-Florida Fair Florida State Fair & Exposition Ohio State Fair Indiana State Fair Kansas Free Fair Kansas State Fair Oklahoma Free State Fair International Farm Con- gress Nebraska Stv'te Fair Wyoming State rair Aug. 10-17, 1918. Aug. 21-30, 1918. Sept. 2-7, 1918. Sept. 9-14, 1918. Sept. 21-28, 1918. Sept. 30 -Oct. 12, 1918. Nov. 2-7 Aug. 19-26, 1918. Sept. 2-7, 1918. Sept. 9-14, 1918. Sept. 24-28, 1918. Sept. 30-0ct. 4, 1918. Aug. 9-24, 1918. Aug. 30 -Sept. 8, 1918. Sept. 16-21, 1918. Sept. 21-28, 1918. Oct. 7-12, 1918. Oct. 12-18, 1918. Nov. 10-18, 1918. Nov. 18-23, 1918. Nov. 27-Dec. 7, 1918. Aug. 26-31, 1918. Sept. 3-7, 1918.. Sept. 9-14, 1913. Sept. 16-21, 1918. Sept. 30-Oct.5, .1918. Oct. 16-26, 1918. Sept. 1-6, 1918. Sept. 10-14, 1918. - 179 - Pueblo, Colo. Colorado StateFair Sept. 23-28, 1918. Salt Lake City, Utah Utah StateFair' Sept. 29 -Oct. 5, 1918. Los Angeles, Calif. California Liberty Fair Association Dec. 7-14, 1918. CIRCUIT NO. 6. Springfield, 111. Illinois Centennial State Fair Aug. 9-24, 1918. Huron, S. Dak. South Dakota State Fair Sept. 9-14, 1918. Lemmon, S. Dak. Interstate Fair Ass'n. Sept. 18-20, 1918. SUPPLEMENTARY TO CIRCUITS Baltimore, Md. Baltimore News Food Show," Feb. 6-15, 1919. Baltimore, Md. Southern Commercial Congress, Dec. 8-15, 1918. Akron, Ohio First-Second National Bank, Jan. 6-20, 1919. Pittsburgh, Pa. Poultry Exhibition of Pittsburgh, Jan. 13-18, 1919. 180 " TIE OFFICE OF INFORMATION The Office of Information, being the purveyor of the department's news to the press of the Nation, the translator of its scientific knowledge into the language of the layman, carried the responsibility throughout the war of disseminating very promptly to the people of the country all the in- formation that the department could furnish as to means of increasing food production and promoting food conservation. Its work was intensified and increased not only, but branched into new lines- Before the beginning of American participation in the war, the Office of Information had sought, almost exclusively, to convey its message to country people. After that event, it was just as necessary that the message be heard by urban people, too. To reach the people of the cities and towns, indeed, was one of the earliest and largest war-time tasks performed by the office. At the very beginning it was apparent that food thrift, the saving of food by every reasonable means, was one of the basic necessities for winning the war. The Office of Information began the crusade immediately after the declara- tion that a. state of war existed. Everything was ready, in fact, fcr the launching of the crusade even before the declaration was made. During the few weeks following April 7, 1917, the Office of Information put before the readers of the Nation the fact that food saving was a necessary war measure, that, in the final analysis, food would win the war. Y/hen the Food Administration was created, it took over, in largo - measure, the task of promoting food thrift, but the Office of Information continued throughout - l&l - the war, in connection with its other duties, to keen the necessity for food conservation before the readers cf daily and weekly newspapers, farm papers, trade papers, household and other publications. During the first three months of the war, 237 articles on emergency subjects were issued to the press. Of these, 51 dealt with the elimination of food waste in the home and conserving perishable products by canning and drying, 45 with the proper handling of field crops to meet the emergency, 26 with the live-stock situation, 10 with the necessity for increase of poultry, and 26 with methods of combating crcp rests and diseases. The emergency began after planting was well advanced in the southern half of the country, but until the end of the planting season, special attention was given to increasing the acreage of such food crops as spring wheat, corn, oats, rye, barley, potatoes and vegetables in hems gardens. irio it necessary to sell at cost and therefore allowed no margin to take care of declining prices. In the drought-stricken areas of the Southwest, the drought continued sc late in the spring of 191S that the demand for seed at the normal seeding time was greatly reduced, and this, together with the fact that the supply of seed, especially of the sorghums, was appre- ciably greater than had originally been estimated, caused by a decided break in the sorghum-seed market. Speculators in a panic offered their stocks for sale much below cost. Several points were clearly brought out in connection with the emer- gency purchase and sale of seeds, probably the most important being that high prices go far toward overcoming shortages. It is really remarkable how much seed will be placed on the market as the result of very attractive prices. The authority to purchase and sell seed to fanners for cash at cost provided in the Food Production Act of August 10, 1917, was continued in an act with the same title for the fiscal year 1319. The wording of the provision was changed somewhat and is as follows: "For procuring, storing, and furnishing seeds, as authorized by section three of the act, the appropriations for said pur- poses of $2,500,000 in section eight of the Act and $4,000,000 under the heading 'Department of Agriculture 1 in' the Act" approved March twenty-eighth, nineteen hundred and eighteen, entitled 'An Act making appropriations for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and eighteen, and prior fiscal years, on account of war expenses, and for other purposes', shall be available until the date when 'said Act of August tenth, nineteen hundred and seventeen, shall cease to be in effect, and any moneys heretofore or hereafter received by the UnitedStatcs for furnish- ing such seeds may be used as a revolving fund." A large part of Texas sustained in 1918 severe damage to crops as the result of droughts even more destructive in nature than those of 1917. - 200 - An emergency was produced in certain sections in connection with the supply of suitable seed corn. Because of the benefit accompanying the department's emergency purchase and sale of seed corn in Texas in 1918, State officials and public-spirited individuals urged the department to assist in the same manner as the previous year. The sum of $75,000 was allotted for this wore -from the funds appropriated for the purchase and sale of seed to farmers in the Food Production Act, 1919, and arrangements made to purchase and sell corn as was done in the fiscal year 1918. Approximately 10,000 bushels was purchased. Insuring; Price of !7heat Another function which the C ommittee on Seed Stocks was called upon to perform under the emergency legislation developed with the fixing of the price of wheat. After the price of wheat was fixed, the Grain Corporation, a subsidiary branch of the United States Food Administration, formulated and promulgated regulations to maintain a fixed price level and to control ... the movement of the wheat supply of the country. There was a provision against the storing of wheat in elevators and warehouses for a period longer than 30 days. It was soon found that if this was strictly enforced it would ..eriously interfere with the storage of seed wheat, especially in the spring-wheat areasand in the sections where winter wheat is sown before the crop of the same year is available, notably in the Judith Basin and other parts of the Northwest. The regulations did not go into effect in time to interfere with the holding of seed of winter wheat for the 1917 sowing. In a conference between members of the Grain Corporation and the Committee on Seed Stocks, a plan was developed whereby seed wheat and seed ry.e (rye likewise being largely under the control of the Grain Cor- poration) could be held until after the sowing season had passed. The - 201 - pi aii was briefly this: A dealer wishing to hold wheat or rye for seed was required to apply to his zone agent, who was the Grain Corporation's representative in his zone, for a license to store these seed grains. If he was in good standing with the Food Administration, his application- was approved and he was instructed to submit samples of the lots he de- sired to store to the laboratory of the Committee on Seed Stocks in his State or zone. These samples when submitted were examined, and notifi- cation was sent to the dealer and also to the zone agent as to their suitability for seed. In this way, very close supervision was kept of the stocks of wheat and rye held for seed by grain dealers. To stimulate the holding of a sufficient quantity of seed and in recognition of the cost of storing and handling it, the Grain Corporation allowed the dealers to charge not in excess of 15 per cent above the Grain Corporation's price for the same grade of wheat at their shipping points. The handling of these samples entailed quite a lot of work, which was done at four points: At Minneapolis, in a laboratory established especially for the Committee on Seed Stocks; at Pullman, Washington; Moscow; Idaho; and Corvallis, Oregon, in cooperation with the State agricultural colleges. Thousands of samples were examined, and upward of a million bushels of wheat approved and stored under this plan in 1917-18. The Grain Corpora- tion changed its plan of maintaining price levels for the crop of 1913, and the regulation limiting the storage of wheat to 30 days was abolished. Making Good Crop Failures Crop failures made stocks of good seed wheat scarce in parts of North Dakota and Montana, and the desire to increase the acreage of spring wheat in the spring of 1918, especially in the margins of the spring-wheat area, made it necessary to devote considerable attention to the seed supply. The Grain Corporation, upon the recommendation of the committee on Seed Stocks, stored seed wheat at points tributary to the areas where the crop of the preceding harvest was short and also shipped it into the twilight areas where the tendency to sow indicated a demand for se^d in excess of the supply. Approximately 500,000 bushels was provided for such areas through this cooperative activity. The committee was called upon to cooperate with the War Trade Board and especially to supply information that would help in shaping intelligent export' and import policies. It was found necessary to recommend the laying of temporary embargoes in a few cases and to advise the restriction of ex- ports, especially to northern neutral countries that were asking for seed far in excess of their normal net importations. In Lecembcr, 1913, a temporary embargo was placed on the exportation of red-clover seed because of the apparent insufficiency of the available supply for home needs in the spring of 1919. This embargo remained until January 15, 1919, after which, as a result of more complete data, it was modified to permit the exportation of 3,000,000 pounds of seed to the allied countries and 2,000,000 pounds to the northern neutral countries. - £03 - SEED GRAIN LOANS IN DROUGHT-STRICKEN AREAS In the summer of 1918, representations were made that many wheat growers in certain sections of the West might be compelled to forego fall planting and even to abandon their homes unless given immediate aid. They had lost two successive crops by winter killing and drought and had ex- hausted their resources. At the suggestion of the Secretary of Agriculture, the President on July 27, placed $5,000,000 at the disposal of the Treasury Department and the Department of Agriculture to assist in tiding the farmers in drought- stricken areas over the period of stress, to enable them to remain on their farms and to plant such acreages as was deemed wise under all the conditions, to add to the National security and defense. The Federal Land Banks wero designated as the agents of the Government to make and collect the loans. The cooperation of local banks was secured in the taking of applications and in temporarily financing farmers pending advances of Federal funds. Assistant Secretary G. I. Christie was desig- nated to represent the Department of Agriculture in the Northwest district which included'the western portion of North Dakota and portions of Montana and Washington. Mr. C. W. Warburtcn, Agronomist in the Bureau of Plant Industry,was assigned as his Special Assistant with headquarters at Great- Falls, Mont. Mr. Leon M. Estabrook, Chief of the Bureau of Crop Estimates was appointed assistant to the Secretary to represent the department in the Southwest district, which included portions of western Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and eastern New Mexico. Mr. H. N. Vinall, Agronomist in the Bureau - 204 - of Plant Industry, was assigned as special Assistant to Mr. Estabrook with headquarters at Wichita, Kans. Several field agents were likewise assigned to this work. Conferences were held with specialists of the State colleges of Agri- culture and a list was made of the counties in which it was deemed wise to make loans. County agents represented the Department of Agriculture, in- spected the field and verified the sworn statements of applicants* A limit of $3 an acre on not more than 100 acres was fixed. The farmers agreed to use seed and methods approved by the department. They signed a promissory note for the amount of the lean, with interest at the rate of 6 per cent payable in the fall of 1919, and executed a mortgage giving the Government a first lien on the crop to be grown on the acreage specified. Furthermore, provision was made for a guaranty fund, each borrower agreeing to contribute 15 cents for each bushel in excess of a yield of 6 bushels per acre planted under the agreement. A maximum contribution of 75 cents per acre was fixed. The object of this fund is to safeguard the Government against less. If it exceeds the loss it will be refunded pro rata to the csntributors. Valuable Assistance to Fana ers It was recognized that there were farmers in the Northwest who would probably be in even more urgent need of assistance for their spring operations. As soon as it was seen that there would be a considerable unexpended balance from the fall planting activities, announcement was made that it would be expended for the spring planting of wheat. Since the coast of seeding spring wheat is greater than that for the fall, it was indicated that the loan 7/ould be made on the basis of $5 an acre, with a limitation of 100 acres. Ob Number and Amount of Seed Grain Loans During The Fall of 1918 and the Spring of 1919. State : Fall Loans Spring Loans Total • Numbe r Amount Number Amount Number Amount Montana 1,480 ;) 30 0,9 19 5,284 01,347,360 6,764 §2, 148, 279 North Dakota 33S 65,944 1,354 483,567 1,692 549,511 Washington 17 4,335 33 : 13,970 : 55 18,305 Texas 1,336 292,651 . 1,335 292,551 Kansas 3,531 943,147 3,531 943,147 Oklahoma 3,352 773,271 . 3,852 773,271 New Ivlexico 87 15,193 87 16,193 Grand Total! 17,317 §4, 741, 357 - 206 - THE NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE In March, 1918, the Secretary of Agriculture and the. Food Administrator created the National Agricultural Advisory Committee. Both of these officials had felt that in discharging the war responsibilities of food production and food conservation, they stood in need from time to time for consultation with representative agricultural and live-stock producers. The Advisory Committee, therefore, was made up of 24 representatives of all phases of agriculture and live-stock production and of the typically agri- cultural regions of the United States. The committee assembled in Washington on March 28 and remained in session until April 4. A number of subcommittees were appointed and assigned to studies of the larger and more critical agricultural problems confronting the Government. While the committee as a whole was not again in session, it maintained an office at the Department of Agriculture and its subcommittees continued their work until after the signing of the armistice. The work was ex- trememly helpful to the department in solving many of the problems in se- curing larger production and fuller conservation of food. - 207 TKS AGRICULTURAL COMMISSION TO EUROPE In August, 1918, the Secretary of Agriculture appointed a commission to visit Europe and make a study of agricultural conditions. So far as can be ascertained, this was the only war commission charged with the single duty of investigating the conditions of agricultural production. The primary aim was to discover what could be done to make absolutely certain that, so far as food supplies were concerned, the war would be won. A secondary aim was to ascertain the outlook for agriculture after the war, during the period of reconstruction. In application, the secondary aim became the primary, for the armistice was signed within a few days after the commission completed its work and the reconstruction problems immediately superseded the war problems of agriculture. The commission was composed of eight men. Four were officials and experts of the Department of Agriculture. Three were officials of agri- cultural colleges. One was a farmer and specialist in improved plant breeding. The commission sailed on August 24 and returned November 5. During the interval, a detailed study was made of agricultural conditions in Great Britain and France, together with a less detailed study of Italian condi- tions. The studies both in England and France were made in cooperation with the Ministers of Agriculture of the twe countries. Assistance was given, also, by officials of Oxford and Cambridge in England and by the Institute of Agronomy, the Academy cf Agriculture and the Grinnon Agricultural School, and the National Farmers Society in France. - 208 - The reports made by the members of the commission upon their re- turn showed in detail the situation as to crop production and live stock in Western "Europe, in what particulars the various countries would be able to meet their own food needs and in what particulars they would require assistance from the United States and other countries before the 1919 harvest. They showed, also, the outlook for planting during the spring of 1919, and were generally helpful in framing the agricultural policies for the United States during the period of reconstruction and readjustment. IE 25 WW* wffl mfi WBm mmm u [■ ■ - f - i'ii '"'-' BS