The Washington times., 1903-09-20

HE system OF crop reporting en-
ployed by the Agricultural De-
partment has two prime objects
in view. 1t seeks to gather the data for
a monthly crop report, and to compile
an accurate summary of the harvest of
the various farm crops Throughout the
country.
With these ends in view the Govern
ment employs a great number of persons
in the several States who have faciIi-
ties for knowing the crop situation In
their immediate neighborhoods. and by
a monthly and yearly compilation of the
reports sent in by these men. the de-
partment summaries are made up. 1t is
largely a matter of guesswork, but the
guesses are founded upon the opinions
of experts. and are as reliable as the
circumstances will allow
The Government crop reports are
sought after not only by farmers. but
by brokers. railroad managers. cattle
men, merchants. exporters. and even
men engaged in trade in foreign coun-
tries. The demand for the reports grows
every year. and every year the machin-
cry for gathering accurate data and
publishing It to the world is better per-
fected. Something like nine-tenths OF
the people of the United States are In
terested In the crop reports.
Property In thousands of towns in the
country is sensibIy affected By the con-
ditIon OF the crops. and merchants in
country towns experience prosperous
times or the opposite. as the crops are
good or bad. The crop reports. there
fore. are eagerly read by these people.
and form the basis OF their trade.
Farmers Opinions Taken.
Two farmers meet upon the highway.
one greets the other, and asks him how
his wheat crop looks. The reply forms
the basis of an opinion as 10 the yield
OF wheat in that particular section. One
of the farmers rides on to town. making
observations by the way. In the town
asks him his opinion OF the wheat crop.
-he correspondent asks perhaps ten
farmers coming from different parts Of
the county the same question About
the 10th of each month he puts to-
sether the views OF the farmers with
whom he has talked. strikes sort OF
balance among them. and sends In his
reoort tn Washfuxton
In this same locality may be CORE
spondent OF some firm of brokers' His
opinion as to the crop may be different
from that of the Government. as II often
is. and a difference of opinion and an
about the crops in that
region will exist in Wall Street
Sometimes this difference of opinion
in local observers may extend over an
entire wheat belt. where millions OF
bushels are grown annually. Such a
condition once prevailed in North Da-
kota, and a firm OF spectators in Chi
cago sent a trained expert into the field
to make examinations 1t cost them
s.. 600 to learn his opinions. which
proved to be wrong. causing them TO
lose $4,000 by buying wheat.
While the Government agents may err
in their estimates. they generally come
nearer to the situation than anyone
else. In the first place, they are chosen
for their disinterestedness. and the mo-
ment one is caught da5bling In the
grain market. buying grain or interest
ing himself in the marketing OF grain,
he is discharged.
Postmaster aud Governor.
In many towns the postmaster acts,
sometimes the railroad agent. and in In
diana a governor OF the State. Mr..
Mount. served, both prior TO ind during
his term. as a crop reporter for Mont
gomery county. In Oklahoma the
Weather Bureau observers act as crop
and under the director OF the
bureau arc about 200 additional report
ers. consisting mainly OF railroad agents.
In Kansas, the postmasteTs act as
rule. and very often the county Judge or
some other person OF prominence and
integrity
The Government in Washington ac-
cepts the authority OF no one person for
the crop situation in any community. |
10 all there are $50. 900 reporters in the
crop service There are thirty-eight |
special observers stationed in various