Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-05-22
THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE M-Prophets the Crops
By Frederi J. Haskin.

draw salaries The thousands on thousands OF crop
reporters do their for compensation, often
going great trouble gathering information and ming
regular special reports and without them the
service would be impossible Most of the county ana
township reporters farmers. while the stare
inspectors get another line the situation through
such men millers managers of grain ELEVATORS
business men and bankers
The crop estimate work in the words Of the chief
of the bureau, is a service for gathering accura's
quickly. take actual census OF farm
products acreage is made every ten years
by the bureau a huge undertaking. 1t costs
81 OoO and 1t takes months to complete the
figures. system Of estimates is speedy accurate
and cheap.
When the tens Of thousands of individual reports
from county township the bureau, they
are lightning rapidity One set of clerks
the sheets in piles of ten laying them as
shingles laid with set Of figures just showing
below These piles to the expert calcu-
lators who the totals glance These men
become almost incredibly expert through years Of
practice 1t has been found by trial that they work
faster than any calculating machine
When the various totals the three sets of
estimates been compiled. so-called crop-estimat-
board into secret session to compile the final
estimate. Every precauton is taken to prevent leaks;
little advance information the estimate OF
crop wheat, for example, would lead to
fortunes being made and lost on the exchange. The
reports Of state estimators have previously been
sent 10 the department in special envelopes They
special safe. and only the secretary or acting
secretary of agriculture may them. While the
crope stma ting board is in sesson-usually matter
of five or six whole bureau o: crop estimates
is locked and is allowed to pass in or out.
When the estimate been made and printed
number mimeograph sheets for distribution to the
newspapers others, the sheets taken down TO
telegraph section. The exact minute fer publication
has been made public long in advance. A few years
ago board thirty seconds late in announcing
It's results During that thirty seconds rumor got
the cotton exchange that The results
different what they actually proved. and large
sums Of money made and lost in consequence.
On a long table in the telegraph room the report
laid face before the ranking Official
folds sheets and hands them to the telegraph
operators. When the estimate concerns important
crop is long line Of correspondents
others waiting for the results Each man is handed
a sheet holds before him face down until the
ticks of the appointed minute. Then another
crop estimates has become public property.
The crop estimates in peace time to stabilize
prices, to give advance Information which guides
farmers planting prevent parties from
spreading false rumors and reduce the element
risk in all crop dealings. 1t is economic law
when any business is attended by large risks,
capital concerned demands large profits,
pays the bill In time Of whole
machinery for estimating Is Of incaculable
1t will give quick and accurate information
farm resources and this information action
based. One of the greatest philosophers stated
truth that ito foresee to rule and It 10 business
Of the bureau to forssee.