| Line of work | Boys | Girls |
| Hogs | 3,774 | 682 |
| Dairy cattle | 505 | 2,732 |
| Beef cattle | 83 | 4 |
| Poultry | 2,154 | 7,753 |
Some idea of the substantial nature of the accomplishments of negro agents may be found in the record for 1924, which shows that they helped to procure better sires for the flocks and herds of 3,552 farms and that they had flocks and herds culled on 4,848 farms. They also introduced better balanced feeding for farm animals on 9,520 farms.
Negro demonstrators used 68,126 tons of fertilizer and 8,288 tons of lime in their exemplary farm enterprises in 1924, and they plowed under 13,547 acres of cover and green-manure crops in their soil-improvement operations. Terracing was done on 1,738 farms and soil erosion was thereby prevented on 43,299 acres. Drainage systems were installed on 573 farms and 18,405 acres were thereby made more productive and valuable.
The climax of negro extension work comes in the constructive features just as for the whites. Special import should therefore be attached to the fact that the agents had 463 barns, 411 hog houses, and 787 poultry houses built according to approved plans. Some rural-engineering work of a constructive nature was done on 3,967 farms under the guidance of negro extension agents. All this development means that thousands of the best negroes are learning lessons of thrift, economy, and enterprise. They are coming to realize more and more the importance of owning land and building permanent homes. Another decade will probably show even greater results along these lines.
HOME DEMONSTRATION WORK
It is certainly very gratifying to note that a large number of negro women and girls are doing excellent home demonstration work. When it is remembered that they have to help a great deal in cotton, tobacco, and other fields, there is unusual significance in the fact that they are willing and anxious to take part in the special activities which make for better living and better homes. In 1924, 21,509 women and 27,114 girls were enrolled in the various activities which pertain definitely to the improvement of the home.
It is interesting, also, to compare the figures on home gardens with those on food preservation and preparation. There seems to be a logical sequence here. During the year, 12,355 women and 14,641 girls were enrolled in home gardening; 13,911 women and 13,826 girls, in food preservation; and 14,731 women and 16,537 girls, in food preparation. As a rule, the work begins with garden demonstrations, so it would seem that the interest increases as the work progresses. It should be remembered also that women and girls did most of the work with poultry. The proportion of members completing these demonstrations and the number of method demonstrations necessary for instruction were about the same as the averages of agents in other parts of the country and in other lines of work.
Gardening work is begun with the most staple and standard crops and soon leads to winter and perennial gardens and the growing of small fruits. Wherever home ownership obtains, the garden demonstrations are followed by orchard and lawn demonstrations. Fruit trees suitable to climatic and soil conditions are planted around the homes, and such activities always approach their climax in beautified front yards and lawns.
The number of dwellings constructed and remodeled under the guidance of negro women agents and the number of club members demonstrating the beautification of home grounds indicate clearly the progress of negro home demonstration work. Such activities show that other steps have been taken before the family is ready to build. They show, also, that a great deal of interest has been aroused and that the earning power of the people must have been increased to make such improvements possible. In 1924, 569 houses were built in accordance with plans furnished by negro extension agents and 1,002 houses were remodeled in accordance with the suggestions made by them. The fact that so much work was done to make homes attractive indicates that demonstrators are anxious to make improvements. This point is still further emphasized by the number of members who were enrolled in demonstrations in the beautification of home grounds. A total of 6,433 women and 6,427 girls took up this important enterprise; in 1,336 homes the grounds were laid out according to a definite landscape plan; and 335 school and community grounds were planted according to plans.
Paint and whitewash are good indexes of improvement and prosperity. Demonstrations of this nature exert a fine influence from the standpoint of morals and civilization. In 1924, 2,259 dwellings were painted or whitewashed as the result of extension influence. Many of the dwellings which were built or remodeled installed running water and lighting and heating systems. Altogether, 151 houses installed one or more of these improvements.