Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-27

body OF voluntary correspondents.
The special field service consists OF
seventeen travelling agents, regular en-
ployes of the department. each one OF
whom Is assigned to report on a separate
group of states. They are appointed by
the Secretary from men especially quail
ified by statistical training and practical
knowledge OF crops. They travel syste-
matically over the district assigned to
them, note carefully the development of
each crop, keep in touch with the best
informed opinion. and render written and
Geographic reports to the bureau of
statistics monthly and at other times as
required
Forty-Five State Agents.
There are forty-five state statistical
agents, who are paid a nominal salary
by the department. Each one reports
MS state as whole and maintains a
corps of correspondents entirely indie
pendent of those reporting directly to
the department. These correspondents
report to the state agent on schedules
furnished by him. and from these he
prepares his reports for the department.
The agent is allowed a reasonable
amount of money for travelling ex-
penses. to enable him to keep posted
on local conditions in his own state.
There are approximately $500 coun-
ties of agricultural Importance in the
United States, and in each OF these the
department has principal county cor
respondent. who has several assist
ants. These county correspondents are
selected with special reference to their
qualifications, and constitute an eff
cient branch of the crop-reporting serv-
Ice. They report each month on their
county to the bureau of statistics. They
are furnished with franked envelopes,
blank forms and other material to en-
able them to correspond regularly with
their various assistants throughout the
county.
Correspondents in Townships.
The department also has correspond
ents. about 10000, in the township and
voting precincts of the country, in
which farming operations are extern
sively carried on. These agents make
the township or precinct the geographic
cal basis of their monthly reports to
the department. In addition to these
agents. at the end Of each growing sea-
son a large number Of individual farm
erS and planters report on the results
Of their own individual farms.
With regard to cotton, all the infor-
nation from these sources is supple
mented by that furnished by special
cotton correspondents. embracing
large number of persons intimately
connected with the cotton industry.
The county and township agents re-
ceive no financial remuneration for max
ing these reports to the Department Of
Agriculture. but they are furnished with
books. pamphlets and other publications
of the department which are of interest
and value to them. They are also sup
piled with franked envelopes and printed
schedules which they can fill out con-
veniently and mail to the department.
Solicitation Of Workers.
Postmasters are frequently requested by
the Department Of Agriculture to submit
names of prominent and reliable farmers
in their county or districts who would be
likely to undertake this work. After the
names are received a regular printed
form is sent to the farmers from the
department, and If they are willing to
make the report everything possible is
done to facilitate their work. II any
correspondent goes for two months with
out reporting to the department letter
asking his reasons is sent to him, and
upon failure to get a satisfactory reply
some other representative is found.
These reports contain data regarding
the condition and acreage OF each OF the
principal agricultural products-such as
corn wheat. oats rye barley, hay and
cotton. AS the crops progress the pros
poets are reflected in monthly condition
reports on each growing crop. The con-
dition is expressed in percentages; 100
representing a normal crop; Eleven
monthly reports on the principal crops
are received each year and six special
cotton reports are sent in during the
growing season.
Precautionary Measures.
To prevent access to reports on specu-
lative crops they are sent in by the
state statistical agents and special field
agents to the Secretary of Agriculture
in specially prepared envelopes under
seal. By arrangements with the postal
authorities these envelopes are deliv-
cred to the Secretary in sealed mail
pouches and are opened only by the
Secretary or assistant secretary OF ag
riculture. They are placed in saie
and opened only in the morning of the
day on which the bureau report is Is
sued, when they are delivered to ma
statistician. Reports from agents To-
Gated more than 500 miles away ara
sent in by telegraph In cipher.
The reports from the various corre-
spondents are tabulated and compiled
by the bureau of statistics and the
figures for each state arrived at. Final
by the crop reporting board. composed
of five members, the personnel of the
board being selected from the statis-
ticians and officials of the bureau and
special field and state agents.
Behind Closed Doors.
The board is presided over by the
statistician. The meetings are held in
his office, which is kept locked during
the sessions. no one being allowed to
enter or leave the room and all the
telephones being disconnected. Eacn
individual member of the board COM
putes independently on a separate sheet
from the data furnished. These results
are then compared and discussed by
the board under the supervision of tho
chairman, and the final estimate of the
acreage. condition or yield Of eacn
crop or the number and condition OK
the farm animals is made out.