The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-09-13
CROP REPORTING
HOW IT is Done
PROF. J. H. sHEPPERD TELLS
HOW THE WORK or THE Gov
EMINENT IN GETTING OUT RE.
PORTS rs DoNE-eREAT Sc.
cREcY MAINTAINED.

cultural college, makes of the man
ner in which a crop report Is made
he served on the board which made
UP the report issued on Friday. Sept
. The government crop report "a
sued monthly by the bureau of sta
tistics Of the United States depart
ment OF agriculture is one OF the i'm
portant services rendered by the gov
eminent, II is an Official and unbiased
monthly estimate Of the crops and OF
the number and condition OF i've
stock In the United States. Reports
on each crop and class OF livestock
Tor every state are gathered from four
dinerent and Independent sources as
follows:
=. a report is made up by travel
ing agent who goes from place 10
place constantly making observations
oh ana inquiries about the crop In the
/ various parts Of the state from which
ne makes an estimate on a set date
ana mails II to the secretary of agri-
culture. This travelling agent covers
TWO or three states, according 10 the
| size or them, and the facilities for
travel which they offer.
q state statistical agent-resi-
Gent In the state-does limited
amount Of travelling at the most inn
portant crop estimating seasons. and
maintains a corps of correspondents
IN each county who report to him each
month on the crop conditions in their
local districts. From these sources OF
Information he gathers the facts and
makes up a report which he sends TO
the secretary of agriculture on the
date set.
8. The bureau OF statistics main
.aihs corps Of men called county
crop correspondents, who send I'm re-
ports on crop conditions from which |
the bureau makes UP a report
The bureau maintains township
correspondents who send the bureau
crop reports from which is made up !
anotner independent set OF figures on
the crop conditions Of each state.
me government thus has independ- |
ent data from four sources on the |
crop conditions. from which a crop re- /
porting board makes up the final fig /
ures. This crop reporting board Is |
made up OF five persons, consisting OF
az least two statistical experts from
the bureau, and such persons from
outside as the chief statistioian may
see flt to call.
For September, 1911, report I was
one to be called to act as a member
of this board.
was told to be at the office of Mr..
olmsted. chief statistician, al 8 a. m.
Friday, Sept. s. 1t was asked To have
lunch with me as we would not be
through in time for the midday meal.
1 reported there according to or
ders and at $40 the acting secretary
or agriculture came into the Office /
with mail bag and emptied it's con-
tents on the table in front OF us.
THESE We're the reports from the yari-
GUS agents on the speculative crops
(corn, wheat and oats). The secre-
tary asked Chief Statistician Olmsted
when he should return for the re-
port, and was told to call at O'Clock
p m. He went out and locked the
door to our committee room behind
him. leaving us prisoners there until
his return, at the hour named. AS
went in in the morning / saw that a
At the appointed hour, promptly. the
the stairs and that rope was across
the passageway. At a signal from
the statistician he unlocked the rome
and let me pass. After s o'clock no
one is allowed to pass up to nor to
leave that floor of the agricultural
building, except the secretary Of agri-
culture or his assistant--if he is dep
utized TO perform that duty. I fur
Their learned that ali of the telephones
had been disconnected so that we. like
Robinson Crusoe, were alone and aioof
from the world.
The clerks were given the reports
AFTER we had been securely locked ia |
and they scurried about at lively
rate tabulating and verifying their
copies by the original figures. After
a surprisingly short time a paper Civ
ing side by side the four figures on
every crop for each state was handed
TO each member OF the board, and with I
the chief acting as chairman we dis
cussed them, heard the comments on
weather, rust and other conditions sent 7
IN by different reporters, after which {
each one Of AS made a figure repre-
senting his Judgment and handed it
10 the chief, our chairman He read
Them all aloud and after debating II g
we agreed on a final figure In each
sase.
When we had finished our report--
after period of five hours-the clerks
again scurried about tabulating curl
'eports, and ran or manifold copfas +
With which to accommodate the press.
while we ate our luncheon and chat d
ed. awaiting the time of our release. Il
A few minutes later we were reIeas- 1 Ii
letting secretary OF agriculture re- y
urned TO the committee room, un- 4
ocked the door and received the re- d
'ort, which had in the meantime been | h
agned by each member OF the board
lie approved 1t and Immediately left ii
he committee room. Ii
A table had been arranged at the d
lead of the stairs ana corps az F
newspaper reporters stood behind ii q
With hands outstretched for their con- e
es OF the report The acting secre-
airy held his watch on them and did Il
lot release the documents until the y
xact minute of time (set several Ii
yeeks beforehandJ had elapaed. b
When the report was released to them
hese reporters scampered Off like
chool boys, running and crowding for .
ne nearest telephones to fash the n
ews 70 their respective publications.
and again enjoyed the liberty vouch- u
nd again enjoyed the liberty vouch- h
afed TO all save the criminals and In 4
ane residents of this republic.
Why all this paing7 Wen. few
ears ago scandal was unearthed q
the crop reporting work and evil B
ence Wa given To the effect that an
1genious. trusted einpl0ye Of the bu-
eau OK statistics had arranged d code
signals In the way he adjusted the a
= - - "a ~ Il H.