National Republican., 1883-01-11
SEEDS AND CEREALS.
Some Interesting Facts About the Work Of
the Agricultural Bureau.
The Care and Thoroughness With Which
Crop News Is Prepared.
Facts Furnished by Over Two Thousand Corespon-
dents--H5w They Are Arranged,
The Cost md Care Of Collecting and Dis
tiibUting Seeds.

There is much 10 be seen and learned in
the Agricultural bureau in this city, and an
intelligent inspection OF hat department will
we'll repay one Cor the time and trouble the
trim costs Until quite recently it was the
fashion to make sport of the Agricultural bu-
rcau. and ridiculc il in every possible way.
Lately, however, The press and the people
have shown disposition to treat this very
useful department. with more respect as it6
usefulness became moro widely known, If
there arc any who still harbor the idea that
the bureau of Agriculture is u useless ap.
pcudagc It is time they disabuscd themselves
of the impression. The system Of compila-
ton Of
CRop STATISTICS
and the monthly bulletins of crop prospects,
which is only small part of the worl; Of the
bureau, is of itself of more value than the to-
tai cost of the entire department. The crop
reporting organization. which is under the
personal supervision and direction of the vet
Gran statisticun, Mr.. J. Il. Dodge, is very
comprehensive and complete. 1t has taken
years to work IL up to its present standard of
efficiency. The information dolcd out in
former years was not looked upon as being re-
liuhlp, but laittriy il is considered very Valu-
able, and serves q, an almost uniuiling guide
TO operators I'm the production of the ground
i'm making up estimates of annual yields by
states groups Of states, or districts. The or
gauiznton includes Il corps Of county
correspondents, one for each of the
1000 cuunti,s that grow the crops, with
several assistants i'm each county. 1t also iu-
Cludcs statistical agent for each state and
territory to act rs nn assistant Of the statis-
ticinu and sec that the best men are obtained
i,tt INN tn al ~
partmunt-mcn who will promptly report the
actual condition OF the crops, estimated acre
age, average yield &C., 20 make spccia! local
investigations, and mirror accurately the
progress of agriculture in their localities.
There IL also connected with this depart
mcnt statistical agent in London with
headquarters ut the office of the consul gem
cIul) TO organize the collection Of such
STATISTICS or EUROPEAN PRODUCTION
and consumption us American farmers and
merchants may require in the regulation of
their plans.
The correspondents are trained and cx-
pcricnCcd observers, farmers of standing,
many of them mon of education and influence
Their guturns are, of course, not census but
wcll-considurCd comparisons, usually by
percentage, the meaning of which can
he exactly expressed IN figures, show
ing increase or decrease of acreage,
current changes of condition, and finally
the yield per acre aud absolute product
These diverse points of view afford tests of
accu.anv, when results are produced from
each. II they agree there can be no great
error 'r there are discrepancies further in
YES, 90, ion couccts the error and disclosCs
suhs,a.tinl truth. In illustration of the gem
CTUl accuracy OF the reports issued by the sta
t,st.y.aa, ii may bc said that there has not
bccn q variance of three per cent in the
monthly reports of the condition OF the corn
la first Ia ln
last of the season, and the results of the
reports of other cereals are almost as
satisfactory. The crop reporting system
of the department Of Agriculture has
been in operation sixteen years, 1t differs
from amateur, commercial, and newspaper
crop reporting in being systematic, cOntin-
uOus through tn" year, covering a well de-
fined area, and the only one whose reports
can possibly bc
CORRECTLY PRESENTED
in equivalent figures. tubuatcd and reduced
to ultimate results which present precisely
the real meaning Of the reporters. Its report
ers know in January what is required of
them in the twelve months of the year, and
they prepare for their work with all the aids
which observation, verbal inquiry, and COR
rcspondcncc can furnish Year after year
aud acquire skin, maturity of judgment,
they statistical acumcn. IhcyNro at the head
of n county statistical system, and include in
Their estimates the total breadth of each crop
in that county. In Mclean county, Illinois,
q normal crop may mean twelve million
bushels: in Stevens county, Minnesota, twelve
thousand the department system regards
these quuutitic, and values, while the amateur
plan looks 10 individual reports, and aver
ages the gucsscs Oia thousand PERSONS cover
ing indisrriminUicly Il farm on II state.
THE MONTHLY BULLETINS
of the Agricultural bureau during the spring,
summer, and autumn months are looked for
by all who are Interested in the movement of
crops with the most intense cagcrncss. Their
influences upon the volume and direction OF
trade cannot be estimated. Through their
agency what was formerly conjecture and
speculation is reduced to approximate GER
tainty, and merchants, bankers, and trans
portutipn companies govern themselves ac-
cordmgly.
THE SEED DIVISION
Is very important branch of this depart
mcnt. Congrc.. appropratcs r16,OOO or SsO,-
OOl Il year to its maintninancc. OF the seeds
and grain purchased - per cent. is distrib-
utvd by members of congress, and the re-
maindpr is sent out TO individual applicants.
Each correspondent is down ON the list, and
conBiguneuts OF seeds, accompanied by sta
tistical, agricultural, and scientific iuiOrma-
tion occasionally pay them for their services.
Only the best grades Of seeds are purchased,
and cXpcrts arc constantly experimenting with
new varieties to test their value, the large
garden surrounding the department building
being used largely Tor such experiments.
Seeds are delivered TO the department in
bulk, and are there put up in packages con-
tanning all the way from half dozen seeds
TO a quart The mrcr or new seeds are dulcd
out more sparugiy than those that have
already been tested and are put up in small
paper packages bearing The imprint of the de-
partment. II used to be the custom some
years ago 10 print ON each package the dirCC-
lions for sowing, but this has been abolished
ms being unnecessary. In case Of new seeds
full directions arc givcn. In commoncr seeds
larger packages are given. Grain Is put up in
quart bags. \ great many members secure n
supply of these seeds and send them to their
constituents themselves; others have them
sent from the compartment. Tho pressure
uuon members of congress for seeds is very
great, and il the supply were four times as
large it would be exhausted, Each member
receives about 1000 packages of seeds of all
kinds, leaving 100000 or 100000 out of the
2 OOOO 900 packages annually distributed in tho
control of the commissioner of agriculture,
Thousands of
INDIVIDUAL APPLICATIONS
are received every year which cannot be
reached. In sending out seeds and samples
of grain care is taken not to waste any by
sending varieties TO localities where the
climate and soil are not suitable TO their de-
vclOpmeut,
4 ycgstgllc that would grow very well in
low latitude may prove dead failure in more
exposed situations. Corn raised IN the SOUTH
und which makes splendid showing there,