The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1908-10-09
Value of Crop Reports.

and scope Of reports on condition
Of crops az they are issued from
time to time for information Of the
public.
Mr.. Clark shows that these re-
ports are especially valuable to
farmers by keeping them posted
both as to condition and prospects,
thus putting them in position to
profit directly by marketing their
products, or holding as intelligent
judgment might direct. Not only
do the reports keep the farmer adj
vised, but also the dealer and specu-
lator, who are important factors in
fixing the price which cotton or any
other commodity should bring to
preserve the immutable balance be-
tween supply and demand.
These crop reports, according to
Mr.. Clark, disseminate the know
ledge alike to producer and buyer,
50 that exclusive possession does not
remain with either operating TO
give undue advantage
One point of vantage, however,
which spectators hold over pro-
ducers, is their unwilingness to de
pend on government crop reports
entirely.
They have travelling agents, cor
respondents and buyers, throughout
the cotton section, who keep them
informed a. to local conditions and,
being themselves informed as to
general conditions. 10y putting the
two together, they are in position
to pass more intelligently on the
price commodity should bring than
the farmer, who sees only one side
Of the question.
Another important feature Of Mr..
Clark's article emphasizes that the
farmer j. not the only class inter
ested in what he produces nor the
price it will bring
The banker, the wholesaler, the
retailer, the manufacturer, i'm fact
the great body of consumers. pro
fessional and tradesmen and all
others are equally interested with
him. The products of the soil are the
bases of all business. The quantity
produced taken with the price COM
manded determines the volume Of
business and in this way. concerns
every one from the peanut vender
up to Standard Oil.
As suggestive of quantity, in the
distribution of wares, the manufac-
ture of products, the investment in
goods, and their consumption by
the farmer himself. these reports
are invaluable guides.
The manufacturer makes, the
distributor distributes, the mer-
chant buys, the consumer uses
within bounds fixed by the crop
indications, and these reports indi-
cate what those prospects are long
before the crops have been harvest
ed or marketed,
The value and intent of govern
ment reports is aptly presented by
the following, clipped from Mr..
Clarks article;
Now, it is universally conceded
that farming agriculture-is the
basic industry upon which all other
industries greatly depend. The
measure of the country's crops is to
a large extent the measure of the
country's prosperity, and the pur-
chasing power of the people is in
creased or diminished as the crops
are bountiful or meager. There
fore the commercial interests of the
country are vitality affected by the
quantity and quality Of the crops,
and it becomes a matter of vast i'm
portance To them to know in adj
vance what the crops promise dur
ing the growing season and what
the output is at harvest.
With such information carefully
and scientifically gathered and com
piled and honestly disseminated, so
that il can be depended upon as re-
liable as any forecast eminating
from an impartial and disinterested
source, the merchants and manu-
tacturers of the country can certain
~ act with a degree of prudence
and intelligence not possible were
the information is lacking.
1t is to remedy the evils and to
subserve and protect the interests
OF all that Congress provided for is
suing monthly crop reports, and
the crop reporting service of the
agricultural department aims to
supply the public at large with i'm
partial, unbiased information re
garding crop areas, conditions and
yields, which, it must be apparent.
is highly essential and beneficial
not only to farmers, but also equal
~ to our commercial interests of
every kind and class.
The COmunnaifv 80 OolloI :.