Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1882-09-07
Helena, Montana, Thursday, September 7, 1882.
Value Of Agricultural Statistics.

| 1t is the season at which crop reports are
IN order in every State Of the Union. The
value of carefully collected and reliable stat
istics regarding the fruits, cereals, forage
crops, and other products of the farm, has
seldom been properly estimated. All the in
dustries of life depend in great measure on
the comparative success or failure of the
crops of the world. Early information on
these points is Therefore invaluable, and a
great deal is being done to obtain it. Each
year shows greater outlay in that direction.
An accurate knowledge of the condition of
crops, month by month, is the only legiti-
mate basis of trade Spectators organize
found that national and State organizations
can, if properly managed, give the general
public reasonably accurate data.
What is wanted is knowledge of the for
eign supply Of grain and live stock, also SUI
plus for other markets. To supplement this,
it is necessary that the surplus of each State
be calculated. The agricultural Department
at Washington, now sends out monthly crop
reports. In some States the State agricultural
boards collect very full reports, cOndense
and compare them, and forward the results
to Washington by mail or telegraph. 1t is
expected in future to use the telegraph more
| in this work, and also to furnish synopsis
Of the various reports to the newspapers, at
! the earliest moment possible But heretofore
! the Pacific States and Territories have been
poorly represented in these monthly reports
Sometimes the entire percentage for California
has been figured from scant replies from but
! five or six counties. The case is nearly as
bad in Oregon, Washington Territory, Ne
vada, Utah and Arizona. Idaho and Dakota
/ fare much better. Colorado also, has fuller
reports Compared with the careful intor-
nation which some of the Western States
furnish, there would seem to be carelessness
somewhere The wheat of California Ore
gon and Washington Territory, is an appre-
ciable factor in the markets, and the fruit OF
this region is yearly more valuable. Each
issue OF the national agricultural report
ought to contain items from every county of
! California.
As practical farmer lately said: Farm
Economy, and the teachings of the best
writer's on the subject is of little avail un-
less it includes study about how to obtain
the fairest possible prices" In reference to
wheat, for instance, the farmer must learn
how to prepare his soil, sow his seed, care
for it, and harvest it-this relates to produc-
tion. Then he must study the arts of the
distribution and the sale of his crops The
interests of the general public are the best
subserved WI en- farmers net fair price fOI
their product, avoiding any speculative ex-
treme. The growing demand all over the
United States for reliable and prompt crop
statistics is a repetition of the movement in
England, France and Germany, where larger
funds are devoted to this purpose than any
one has ventured to suggest in this country.
An Office has lately been established in Lon
don to collect and forward such statistics.
Proof of their utility lies in the fact that the
United Statesis now exporting annually more
than 30 per cent. of its total wheat crop, or
over 179,00O,0O0 bushels, and home prices
necessarily depend upon this variable foreign
demand. Up to the present time there has
been no official means of ascertaing what the
foreign shortage would be, and few large
spectators collected private information,
which of course was their own property, and
unavailable to the country at large. What
the Department of Agriculture wishes to do
under Commissioner Loring is to arrive at
some approximate estimate of the leading
crops of each country each year, showing the
surplus or deficit AS far as a knowledge of
the home crops is concerned, if the most
careful and experienced farmers of each coun-
ty in State would report to the State organ
ization a very difficult part of the work
would be done, though much will thereafter
depend on the carefulness and judgement
with which these reports are tabulated. Ohio
has been favored with peculiarly efficient
State Board of Agriculture, and its predictions
in reference to crops and prices have saved
many thousands of dollars TO the farmers OF
that State.
In conclusion, the practical benfts of farm
statistics in general, may be briefly stated.
They encourage the farmers to keep accurate
accounts so as to make reliable returns. They
show the probable demand for transport IA
cilities before the carrying season begins.
They show purchasers of cattle, horses, sheep,
hogs, etc, where to purchase to the best ad-
vantage. They help to prevent panics, and
violent fluctuations in the grain and produce
markets They distinctly show the studi-
Gus farmer in what parts of the country good
tillage is practiced, and also where the soil is
being impoverished. In general they help
to show the resources, progress, and COM
parative wealth of different sections of the
country at the same time, and of the same
section at different times.
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A Letter From Adam to Eve.
In Josh Billings "Cook Book and Pictor-
ial Receipts" the following interesting letter
is found:
EDoNIA, December, Year Two.
Dear Eve: l have been on the rampage
now one month, prospecting for our new
home, and have seen some ranches that will
do pretty well, but none of them just the
ticket. The old garden is a hard place to
beat, but we have lost that, and turned out
now to root. hog, or die. We will fight it out
now, on this line, if it takes all summer.
Eating that apple was great biunder, put
is a hope for us yet. Just as soon as l strike
a good claim 1 will come back to you. Watch
over Cain closely, he is brick. The weather
is raw and cold; feel that am too thlnly
clad No more now, from your loving
ADAM.
p. S.-Has Cain cut another tooth yet?
Financial Reasons.
detroit Free Press.l
II won't sell you my vote, nohow," said
old Slocuss to the man who had come to see