The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-01-09
GIVES SOURCE 0F COTTON REPORTS
Agricultural Experts At Ses- sion Here Addressed By
 Federal Official N

Detailed information about how government crop reports are col lected. compiled and broadcasted was made known by Dr. W. A. Shoenfeld, chairman of the crop reporting board of the United States department of agriculture, at the Tuesday night session of the annual conference of agricultural extension workers from the southern states, in session in the Tutwiler hotel.
 Dr. Shoenfeld discussed the work of crop reporting at length, paying special attention to cotton because of it's great speculative value, and also because the cotton reporting of this board has received considerable criticism.
 On the value, of crop estimates Dr. Shoenfeld said: eff no unbiased es- inmates were made the cotton mar ket would be completely in the hands of speculators to run 1t up or down greatest losers because of such speculation"
 After showing the value of the work the speaker went at length into an explanation of how the govern ment collects it's information. He said that state statisticians in each of the cotton growing states have about 10000 people who report direct to them and, in addition, more than 10000 report direct to the depart ment at Washington, giving 8 careful check on the reports from the states. Eighty per cent of these reports. come from the actual growers and bankers. merchants, and others who are familiar with cotton conditions in their respective counties. Checks in several ways are also made in or der to avoid all possibilities of effor from any cause. Fertilizer sales, weevil infestation, and all other fac tors are taken into consideration.
 Dr. Shoenfeld told of the compila- tion of the several resources of in- formation and how it Is carefully guarded to the extent that leaks that will influence the market in any way are next to impossible. Reports are first compiled by states on blanks from which the heads have been re- moved so that the clerks in handling them do not know the state on which they are working.
 When all state reports are com pleted they are brought together In the reporting room where tele- phones are disconnected and all con nections with the outside severed. No one is allowed to leave until the final report is ready for the public. It is given to the news sending agencies at the same moment, even the same second, and sent to all parts of the United States and to foreign countries instantaneously. These reports are made monthly dur ing the cotton season.
 The morning session of the con- ference was devoted to a discussion of agricultural extension work in the several states. Dr. J. R. Hutche- son told of the progress in Virginia and how that state is working long time agricultural program.
 G. E. Farrell spoke on the work in the northern states and Miss Bon- nie Bonslagle told of home demon stration work in Arkansas.
 Development of county and local programs" was the topic discussed by W. R. Shelton of Oklahoma; J. G. Oliver of Georgia and Miss Flavia Gleason of Florida. In the after noon departmental sessions were held to consider methods of pro- cedure in the different states.
 At s o'clock Wednesday morning the delegates will visit the plant of ton extended by Prof. l.. N. Duncan of Auburn. Professor Duncan told them of the modern dairy or milk distribution plant which Birming- ham now has and insisted that they see it before leaving the city.
 Many prominent aBricultur ailsls ol national reputation are attending the conference. Among them are pr. Clyde Warburton, director of exten- sion work in the United States, with headquarters at Washington, and Dr. C. B. Smith, chief of the extension bureau. I. w. Hill, a former state superintendent of education in Ala bama, is taking an active part in the proceedings as is c. l.. Cham hers. a Jefferson county man, who is now well known in agricultural colleges in many states.
 The conference will close Wednes-