The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1911-02-02
CROP REPORTERS
ARMY OF 100000
Uncle Sans Estimates Com
pick and Fairly Accurate.
WATCH FIFTY-FIVE SUBJECTS


roads Interested In Government,
Monthly Figures on Planting, Acre
age and Harvesting In Order to Fore.
cast country's Prosperity.
One hundred and thirty Thousand
persons-a mighty army-secure fol
Uncle Sam the information contained
in the monthly crop reports, which
convey as near as it is possible fol
IN agencies the condition and
=. Jects of the chief agricultural
ducts of the country at that time
These reports are literally the pulse
Of the country's prosperity. Few PEG,
pie, however, realize the amount of
work, the minute detail, connected
with supplying this information to the
public free of charge.
If reports during the growing season
show that the condition of wheat is
such as to indicate a full crop on a
large area the merchants of the wheat
producing sections of the country
know that they can give liberal orders
for goods to be handled by them sew
eral weeks or months later. The man
ufacturers, located far from the
wheatfields, know where there will
be a large demand for such of their
products as are used by all dependent
on the wheat industry, the railroads
know they will have heavy freights to
transport, and so the advance knOwl-
edge regarding the probable future
outcome of the crop serves as guide
to every branch of commerce and
trade connected with the wheat grow
ing areas of the country. The same
is true as to the other crOps-cOrn,
cotton. oats, rye, tobacco, etc.
Monthly Reports Necessary.
If, on the other hand, the condition
of growing crops is unfavOrabie re-
liable information to that effect is
eQually-in fact, more-impOrtant TO
trade and commerce than when the
promise is good.
1t was to remedy the evils and to
Subserye and protect the interests of
all that congress provided for issuing
monthly crop reports. The crop re-
porting service of the department of
agriculture aims to supply the public
at large with impartial, unbiased in
formation regarding crop areas, con
ditionS and yields, which it must be
apparent is lightly essential and ben
eficial not only to farmers, but to COM
mercial interests of every kind and
class
Following the estimates regarding
acreage come the condition reports
which are made from month to month
during the growing season. including
not only the crops concerning which
estimates are made but also so called
minor crops" Altogether during the
year estimates regarding conditions
are made for fifty-ive separate and
distinct crops.
There are four great sources through
which data are secured by the depart
ment:
FirSt.-A corps of township CORE
spOndents numbering between 10000
and 10000.
Second-There is a corps of country
correspondents, one of whom resides
in each agricultural county in the
United States. The county correspond
ents have each from three to ten
friends scattered throughout the coun-
ty who report to him each month.
Third-In each state there Is sala-
ried employee known as state Stats
teal agent. He maintains large
corps of correspondents throughout his
state. who report to him each month.
The state statistical agent in the more
important agricultural states performs
considerable travel for the purpose OF
personally familiarizing himself with
crop conditions.
Corps of Special Agents.
Fourth.-There is a corps of special
field agents, each of whom has TWO OF
more states through which he travels,
interviewing farmers, agricultural I'M
plement dealers, country merchants
grain and elevator men, produce deal
eTS, country DduheTS anu any O'AiNS
who by the nature of their business
are well informed regarding agricul-
tural conditions and prospects. Inc
special field agents also go into the
fields and personally examine the
crops.
In addition to these four general |
sources of information the bureau mas
special lists of correspondents. such as
mills and elevators for the wheat crop,
cotton glnners for the cotton crop ana
various other classes for other crops
which report to the bureau whenever
called upon. Altogether there are up
ward of 10000 voluntary correspond
ents of the bureau, none of whom re-
ceives money compensation.
The crop reporting board consists,
as a rule, of five MEMBERSHIP chler
of the bureau of statistics acting as
chairman. The associate statisticlan
and another agricultural statistical