The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-02-12
10000 HELP
GOVERNMENT
GETTING REPORT
Remarkable Force Built Up
to Garner Crop Stats
tics in Nation

| are made to forecast accurately this
amount Of every American farm croE
and are guarded closely to prevent
their premature publication, is told
/ in a publication, Government CroE
Reports, issued by the bureau Of eroI
| estimates of the United States de-
| partment Of agriculture.
The central office at Washington OF
the bureau Of crop estimates has APP
proximately 1876 employees, most OF
| them statistical clerks, computers
and trained statisticans experienced
in handling and interpreting agricul-
turaI facts. But this is only the hub
of the crop estimates wheel. In addi-
ton to the salaried central office en-
ployes and the field agents and crop
specialists, volunteers that number
approximately 10000, each does his
bit in furnishing the mass OF in
formation that is tabulated. inter-
preted, and finally given to the pub
lie in figures that mean the OBSERVE
ton and work of a small army.
Sources of Information.
Distributed over the country are AZ
salaried field agents, one in each
state or group of small states. These
field agents are in the classified civil
service, appointed only after passing
rigid civil service examination to
test their educational and statistical
qualifications. Preference in ap-
pointment is given to legal residents
of the states in which assignments
are made. Each is required to
travel over his state Systematically
during the crop season and personal
ly to inspect crops, interview farm
ers. representatives Of commercial
houses. mills, elevators, buying and
selling associations of all kinds,
transportation companies, state and
local authorities, and associations OF
every description; in fact, each is
expected to be better informed on
crop production than any other man
in the state. Each agent enlists the
voluntary services OF from $50 to l.
500 selected crop correspondents IN
his state, who report to him every
month regarding the crops grown IN
the state. At the close of each month
the aren't makes up a detailed estl-
mate on the crops in his territory
and forwards it to the Washington
office. with full explanatory notes
showing the causes which have re-
suited in changes from the estimates
for the previous month.
In addition to the regular held
agents, the bureau employs ten crop
specialists, l each for cotton, rice,
and tobacco, 4 for truck crops, and
3 for fruit crops. These crop
specialists are of the same high
character. experience, and education
al qualifications as the field agents,
and each deyotes his entire time 10
investigating the single crup TOT
which he is responsible. Ihey LTaVel
throughout the regions in Which
their special crops are grown, main
agte 80 RACn
is regarded as an authority on tne
statistics of his special crop. Lists
are kept of growers Of special crops,
who report at the close OF each
month to the respective crop spec
ialists. each OF whom in turn, makes
IN a report and forwards 1t TO the
central office in Washington.
The third class Of reporters are the
voluntary county crop reporters
approximately 1850 in number, each
of whom reports for his county on
printed schedules directly 10 the
bureau each month. The county re-
porters base their estimates upon
personal observation and inquiry and
mon written and telephone reports
to them from aids in dlHerent por-
tons of the county.
A fourth source Of information are
the voluntary township reporters,
one for each agricultural township
i'm the United States, approximately
IN 290 in number. These township
ranorters are nearly all practical
farmers. and each reports on the
crops grown in his immediate neigh
borhood directly to the central once
in washington monthly throughout
the year. ,-,--....,,
exist in the bureaus special hsts u
growers of potatoes, apples, cotton, |
beans crauberries, peanuts, broom |
corn. maple strip, honey, speclaI
frurk crops. and live stock, and In |
other lists of buyers. dealers, mills
and elevators, producers and ship |
ming associations, and other agencies
engaged in the handling, transport.
inF- storing, and distribution OF
How crop Reports Are Made Up.
The returns from each class or re-
norters are tabulated and averaged
as a check one against
he other. The county totals are
weighted; that is, county Whlcn
produces FIVE times as much OF a
particular crop as announcer FecelNesS
ave times the Importance or Weisnt
IF the other county in determining
he average for that crop.
avery possible precaution is taken
n nreyent the totals for any or the
,o-caIIed speculative crops, such as
,orn wheat. oats, and cotton, from
,econning known to any indiVldual
,,.io,. IN the date fixed in advance by
he secretarv of agriculture for the
ssuance of the crop report. Even
he computers who make up the
otaIs do not know the states 70
Vbich they pertain, and the maj
eIegraphic reports and comments OF
he field agents relating 70 he
IpecuIative crops are kept locked III
he office of the secretary until crop,
.aDorting dav. when they are turned
,IJa1, ~ 4. crop reportinE board, and
h. entire hoard is Immediately lock-
= y, until the minute that the re-
,ort is Issued guards being stationed
= ~ doors. and all telephones dis II
The data supplied by the field
,.-y-t, cyor SPECIALISTS and various
iaseas If voluntary crop reporters
rs considered by the crop reporting
.osrd composed of the chief OF the
,I,Taau the assistant chief OF the bu-
ear the chief Of the DIVISION OF
ron reports, two status tlcal
CHEMISTS, and one or more held
gents called in from different states
eeb month. all of whom are expert
udges Of crops and have had many
ears experience in analysing, inter-
,reting. and summarizing crop data.
n addition to the special data sent
i each month by the field force, the
-oy1 reportinp board has all other
az which are available, such as
he weather bureau reports, and such
ron reports as are issued by state
uthorities. private estimating
.gencies, associations, and others
fTonn ali these data each member
= the board prepares his own
Individual and independent estimate
an each crop and state. These are
oranared. discrepancies are discuss
4 and EXPLAINED. and a final figure