The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-01-24
az ACCURATE sr1rrsncr1M
m. yyh,., Crcr No, U,s.-,,,-.,.s.

crop sent forth by tho statisttcian OF the De-
partment Of Agriculture. assuming that, as
his predecessor had with every one else been
unable to encompass the extraordinary yield
OF 1921 and 1892 the short crop Of 1893 must
also be undsrestimated, and that none OF the
statistician's figures wore OF value. forgetting
that crops giving maximum yields are as in
variably underestimated BY farmers and others
as those giving minimum yields are likely to
he oycrestima'ed by even those who own and
harvest the fields.
Whatever may have been the shortcomings
OF the statistcian's predecessor. and however
untitled for tho position VI the nations Off
cial farmer may be a Secretary OF Agriculture
who has the faulty to advise an increase OF
hide growing when that industry has long
boon Improbable. and while there are many
obvious ways in which tho work Of the stalls
tician might be greatly increased In value.
ard although the writer has frequently had
occasion to and has criticised the work OF the
statistical division. IL does not fellow that tho
work being done by the incumbent In more
defective than is Inherent in It's very nature,
and 1t Is pleasure to commend the work OF
one who appears not only competent. but
seems desircus Of rendering honest and valu-
able service In a most difficult position.
In the January report OF the departme nts
statistician. Is found proof OF competency. as
well az OF work honestly done. and every indi-
cation OF the approximate accuracy Of the
great multitude Of reports collated; or else OF
singular accord Of Euesswork with mathe-
matlcal analysis undertaken at another time
and by unlnterested and critical observers
From and after 1888 the monthly and an
nual reports Of the Department OF Agricul-
ture were notable for the omission OF all def
into data in relation to six out OF the ten great
staples previously dealt with. the lost impor-
tant OF the six being the seco nd most i'm ortant
as well as most valuable product OF Amer
lean farms. hay. After 1888 hay, rye, barley,
buckwheat. potatoes. and tobacco were rarely
mentioned in the publications. OF the depart
ment. and neither the areas employed in
growing those crops nor the quantities pro-
duced appeared in any table emanating from
the office Of the nations official farmer. Few
OF the operators upon the Produce Exchanges
taking any interest In tho excluded products,
which had never become counters in the games
played by the dealers In hypothetical farm
products. and tho writer's for the commercial
press mostly receiving their inspiration from
such dealers. these omissions were little no.
ticed by others than legitimate dealers in tho
excluded staples and by the student OF tho
nations industries. although afording .sgiti-
mate subject for unfavorable criticism OF
department which had been created expressly
to report crop areas and annual production.
When pressed and forced to offer some OK
r,ap.tion ~ tbia .,r.n,o o,.,usIor a., ~.
departments reports OF nearly one-third tho
produce OF the fields. the Secretary Of Agricul-
ture said it was for the purpose OF enabling
the statistician to conform his acreage esti-
mates to those OF the census.
Tho a,cInsion ~ tba stanla. $500 "a 90
noc,.uv h.r ,ror, 81. aaaa-,.t, $3.50.
boya hoor sor,oo -, r,,,.h ,a,.,io - -
s.u5ant ~ oco,or,;, oorJ,,io,s :. 4. .r,...,
q, vary difscuIt 20 dotorrina - aho,r -
vos ,,,Iv haIia,,.a b. 80 49,, -
oraIr 800 w.. r,,,is,u -.'
ns.turas and ,neadnrs T., 80, 20 ,nrnIsh -.
aror,,o,,o "A tai, i.o-oast., ..,.i,
,ar,aa dairv r,obmo,, nus -. n,is,t
an nrhan r,rrIotIon ina,aaatsS. ~. "
,ata o,orinr orsato- 90. ~ "
TnohIo 80 1870 ,ha dosI,o, o.. A..
,onn.,s y, ,hn na,.r,n,on =, s"i.'',. 'n'
L.rtr,., 80. :. ,he. " $3.50. auu
go. no. Ma 90 n,.,h.stt,aI I
80 ,ornd +ho. ,ha 90. -. ~. ,S5o
shown hv tho cansn. q, Isan cave a.oh ,,,,,
,;du,I In ,ba TrrItad St,+as a 80. =, n aoa =,
an acrs. tia, the corsu. ~, San I'D =. ~.
that tba bav.a,,Jng .nJm.I. ma ha,w.., ISSo
1900 ino,oo..s IY7 80 80, - 80
h,d nonuiotIo, .rd .o,s.or..,r 81 -
.n,nlnvad IN cro,jno $500 -, go 10
aad In nj Al
a. oon.u,,Inn n,.,,on, ,S,,s III. T.. Co.
an .ra. u,dor n, eousito n7iao,an o..
eacb mnit ., ,ha nonnI.t,on e., a. $500. w
tah,,rs,io,s =, ,La 'nr.ha.., ~ sn..,'
me, ,ha ,,rr a IN 1900 ga ,ron, ~ $500,
Oh. Danort,an, =, A o.i.',I,,,. a., p.L. VI
$500 ,ha g. 80 ,.J,,aeS ~. - ~ 10" ~
1sn9 Oh. hor'oons,,n,irs. .I, i,
tbraa nar oar, 80 th. IA isti
horca ,ha nas To- r.,,1i.o. ,N
"a In.roasaa 81. . ,-s, ~. ~"
n ceracoto 100000 - - 80 go - . zaa
~ m &C. tor a,cb IndI,idvar 80 49,
40 300 400 go =, ,h. 'i,.tn 80
az 900 0nO haInc - Az, nnH -. $500
tha s,a,is,io,on,s a.tIn,,.o nTn 1870 , .,'aA
1,Lis .os,,l, Ie,,,..d 80. ,S--I 49, -a.et
-. -, ~ -
ueht uata W slmpo uhalSsis' was arrived at
early in May and yet 1t accords so com Dletely
with the findings of the statisticia, In Japu
nIcr.-Tsu -. 80 .1- - """u-
arg as 10 uiHet less man one per cent
1t may be claimed that this Is but one OF
those coincIdences that ara Of ayerv-dav o.