The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-07-17
CROP STATISTICS
/ EAGERLY SOUGHT
Cathering and Dishibutisn ct
News Furnishes Work
for Theusands.
CLOSELY GUARD TOTALS
Secretary e Agiesllrs Gives OFT
lnfsenatisa- Prseasiisas ma1s
b Provost Leak
CLOSELY GUARD TOTALS

One Of the most important functions Of
the United States Department Of Agri-
culture IL to gather and distribute news
concerning the state Of crops. To do this
work there has BEN constituted by act Of
Congress a crop reporting board. Work.
ing under this board 10 = fair-sized army
of field agents, who do the actual gather
ing Of material for the reports.
These men are scattered throughout
the producing section Of the United
States They gather figures on the pros
pective crops, and send them In to the
department To do this work these men
must be equipped witha special knowl-
edge of crops and with gifts Of observa-
ton. Circulating among the farmers they
talk to them concerning the yields ex-
pected in certain crops. and make COM
parison. Then they examine the grow
ing fields themselves and make figures
calculated to give an accurate estimate
of Just how extensive the coming crop
viii be. Any dreamer, upon casing at an
acorn can see an oak forest: by looking
at a cotton seed can see q field. sleam-
ing white in the sun. or cotton fabric
Crop Reporters Rasy.
But these crop reporters are more
mathematical dreamers. They must take
into consideration all conditions In max
INK InStI eBNmdtGS VI Iuc SAop- ny
looking at the seeds they do. indeed, see
the crops, but first they discover the
exact amount Of seed and Of acreage
planted; then they take into their calcu-
lations predicted weather conditions for
an entire season. and also consider the
labor situation. for a shortage in hands
to cultivate the crops. once the seed has
sprung. will diminish the amount Of q
crop which promises big.
Therefore. they dream by rule and line.
and the department at Washington COM
municates the product of their dreams to
the New York Stock Exchange and other
great centers of commercial activities.
Cotton. wheat. barley. hay. oats. In
short. all sorts of grains and vegetable
crops are estimated by the crop re-
porters. Their work Is Of great impor-
lance to the nation. for wrong esti-
mate may throw out the calculation Of
many business men and manufacturers
and cause severe embarrassment in many
quarters.
When the reports reach Washington
from the agents they are scanned by
the experts Of the crop reporting board
proper.
A certain hour Of a certain day is
given out in advance by the board to
the press associations. Accordingly. re-
porters representing these associations
gather at the old building of the Depart
ment Of Agriculture A table Is drawn
out into the exact center of the main
hall Of the building and each press as
ISOLATION representative Is assigned
telephone. Then the Secretary of Agri-
culture and the head Of the crop re-
porting board. who also Is chief Of the
Bureau of Statistics. come down the
stairs from the Offices Of the board.
Sheets. upon which are mimeographed
the figures. are laid. face down. on the
table and spread out within reach of
each press association reporter. The
seconds tick of on the big clock. and
when the hand has reached the exact
point set in advance the word 10 given
and each press association man grabs
sheet and runs as hard as he can for
his telephone.
Reports Sest broadcast.
When the news reaches New York 1t Is
transferred to a ticker. and before more
than two or three minutes from the time
the report is released by the board In
Washington. the figures are chalked upon
a board in the stock exchange. there to
influence the trading. Some of the ticker
services have long-distance telephone
lines. and some special telegraph wires
all the way from the department at
Washington to New York to carry this
news.
As II would be of tremendous advantage
to any one to obtain these figures a few
hours or minutes even in advance Of the
time they are released. the department
has been forced to take the utmost pre-
cautions to insure secrecy. When the re-
ports come In from the field agents they
are placed, sealed. in a safe. None but