The weekly Republican., 1892-05-19
THE LEADING INDUSTRY
Inf the United States is It's Agri-
 culture,
FACTS AND FIGURES ABOUT TT.
Secretary Rusk Has Fifty Agents
 and l5,OOO Correspondents.
Arizona Compared With Older States-The Leading Article
 of Export.

hut lllklt lNNOEhlNlOh kiNNh lh AliI N ordinary journal to agriculture, the q leading industry of the United States as compared with the space to mans duplicity and woman's weakness. Just 4 why the public is constantly compelled to read this class of literature to the exclusion of things instructive, is yet A mystery, but it is, nevertheless, a fact that the leading industry receives the least recognition,
 While servants solioduize the farmers continue to devise means to keep the hungry wolf from all the doors of the nation.
 In Arizona and especially the Salt river valley the arabic belt is almost en- tirey utilized by the thrifty sons of husbandry.
 ''The gentlemen of agriculture, as the fruit growers are usually called, are exerting their intelects, as well as brain and muscle, to good effect, and what was once desert waste containing neither habitation nor home, harvest or tires!de, has been transferred into fruit orchards, interspersed with grain fields, meadows of alfalfa and broad acres of pasturaCe.
 The government at Washington has taken deeper interest in the wants and works of the horny-handed sons of toil. A special department has been added to the executive helpers, the depart ment of agriculture-the only industry having legally recognized superintend- ent.
 Jerry Rusk, the secretary of agricul- ture, obtains his fund of information which is published in monthly reports from fifty agents, from the several states and territories, assisted by an army of l5,OOO correspondents" or one from each county in the United States. These correspondents being SO evenly divided and no two from the same county, avoids all danger of collision and by an average of their reports an approximate balance can be made which is reliable.
 These correspondents, as we'll as the agents, themselves, are not allowed to give their reports to the press, either before or after sending it in.
 The statement sent in by the various attaches of the department are not the crop reports, but are simply helps to the statistcian compiling them. The report is issued only at Washington.
 The number of state agents now being greater than ever before l must again, says the secretary, at the risk of repu- tation, caution correspondents to make their reports as condensed as possible, as every word costs $l00 in the publica- tion of the 500, ,0OJ copies which are cir Cuated.
 The following are few of the in- struCtions by which this vast army of reporters are governed:
 "As the returns of area, condition and pros pegtiye yield of the seasons crops are now in order, careful study of crop changes is en- joined on correspondents.
 "ln the past the annual of record of acreage has sometimes oeen reported too low, as proved by tae test both of production and area in sub ssqueut state or national census. lt has rarely been too high, showing tendency to con seryative estimate. The natural increase Of population, in district that Is improving rather than retrOgrading, should have due weight in these estimates
 "lu the question of acreage the comparison is made with last year, because a detailed record 0l acreage is annually prepared; but the con ditiOn' of the several crops on the first of June Is not in comparison with any former per Od, but with Q fair normal vitality and growth, un. affected by drawbacks, disasters and contin- genCies.
 "In representing acreage, in comparison with that ot the previous year; condition, In com.
 
 or product, in comparison with that of any pre- yipus year named-Or in any other comparison made for ta5ulatiOn in these returns l0O will he the basis as heretofore; au increase of one teuth or 70 per cent will be recorded no; and decrease of per cent will be marked 90, etc.
 "Use the circular only for the report, Make Gl other communications on a separate sheet, Oi lalr size, dated, showing county as well hs state and pOstoiice and when the latter Is not ln the county from which the report comes, the fac should be stated.
 ttt'DTrpgnnulaufg Nyff In al ma ka their returns Co the agent, and not tp the de- partmgnt
 "lt is imOortant that the correspondents mail thelr reports io the agent as nearly as possible upon the day indicated, as tabulations are made from them for publication, and the re- port cannot be de ayed for those which are not promptly returned.
 "ln answering questions correspondents are tOgtve the average date of planting, taking one season with another. The first date should snow when, under ordinary conditions, they ,Hii, NoalI expect 10 begin planttng and the las; should show when regular planting should be hnshed. Close Of planting refers to the end ol tue hrSt planting, and not to replanting to complete a stand"
 Then follows list of questions as to the time planting begun and closed oi the various grains and agricultural products; also a comparison with former years both in acreage and condition of the crop. Clover spring, pasture fruits oI various kinds and cotton are included m the list with the field crops.
 The interest taken by the head of the government in the behalf of agriculture has greatly encouraged the farmer and much assistance might be obtained free ot cost in regard to the crops indigenous to the locality in which you live, quali- fled to a certain extent by the nature ot the soil.