The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1885-07-16
NATIONAL N,MS NOTES.
LEAVES OF ABSENCE REDUCED
Aiss Milago In the Navy-An Old Timer
l,esigns-Appointmsnts-A Black
Man Named Green becomes
Chronic-Genoral Items.

What Dodge Knows About Farming
WAsHINaToS, July l4.-Some ad
verse criticism Of the governments az
riculture reports has called forth {
statement from Professor j. r. Dodge
the statistical reporter OF tho Agricui
tural Bureau. He says, in part:
at 10 not the province of an official
| statistical service either to advance
or dopress prices, but to tell
the truth. II In repeated
ly proven that misrepresen tation
OF crop productions inures only to the
advantage Of the speculator or wealthy
purchaser. Honesty Is the best policy
for farmers In crop reporting. With
reference TO the wheat reports OF
this spring, there is some
dissatisfaction on tho part OF speculat-
always is. Either they do not want
materialized. Calm, well-bsl-
anced observers of the sta
tistical situation, Qike some
commercial and agricultural editors
whom IL Is unnecessary to name), give
results nearly identical with ours.
Though really possessing and using
extensively original facilities for crop
reporting, they will continue to 40
80 and next year all, including
the bureaus Of the spectators
themselves, will quote confidential
iy and use for comparison the
official records as usual. Tho charge
indications from April to June,
by some critics Ia
characteristic looeners of statement
which has no foundation in fact.
The first report OF winter wheat,
made on the first Of April, before the
growth had commenced on q part
of the area, and when several
States we're covered in part by snow,
indicated probable reduction OF
93,000,000 bushels, as compared
with the previous crop. This
YVES tho least estimate ever
made in April. 1t voiced the opinions
of farmers in tho apparent status of
the crop AZ that date, but it stated fur
ther. "The real status of the crop will
be better shown month hence, when
the vitality of the roots has been
demonstrated and the character of the
spring determined"
On the lst OF May, after All unfavora-
bic April, when the plant had pro-
gressed sufficiently to show the real
injury by freezing, the indication
pointed to a crop OF 24O, ,OOO, 900 bushels |;
reduction Of 23,000,000 only.
On the 1st OF June the returns showed
that the discouraged farmers had
plowed up millions of acres
of damaged grain in the
hope OF a more profitable crop
OF corn, oats or other grain, thus re-
ducing the prospect again, for much of
this area would have brought par
tial crop.
The June returns showed a promise
of 2O7OOO,OOO bushels-a reduction of
56,000,000 bushels from the April
prospect, which was fully us.
titled by the fuller revelations
of winter injuries, the bad weather of
April and May and the substitution of
other crops on an immense area of in.
jured wheat. 1t Is a reduction of
100000 bushels from the winter
wheat report of 1884, or almost AZ per
per cent, OF which over 26
per cent. was reported on
16 per cent. of this reduction isthe diff
ference between April and June, due
to tho weather, substitution Of other
crops for half of the destroyed
Of the holf-concealed injury to the
roots at the date of the 1st of April
in the northern latitude. 1t
is fair, just and reasonable
difference, which proves the in
accuracy OF judgment of our
observers, and puts to shame
the efforts for distortion and misrepre.
sentation indulged by ignorance and
the speculative greed.
"Before Diminishing this subject, it
may be we'll to say for the information
of all honest inquirers as to the
extent and efficiency of the
department system, that it includes
as many counties, farmers OF expert
ence and judgment, - representative
men of public spirit and promoters
Of intelligent agriculture in their
neighborhoods, and not stipendiaries
clamoring for pittance of official
pay.n