276 



ANNUAL REPOKTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



In addition to the field agents the bureau has a cotton- crop 

 speciahst, a rice-crop speciahst, and a tobacco speciahst who travel 

 throughout the regions where these special crops are grown and 

 each of whom maintains a Hst of selected volunteer crop reporters. 

 During the fiscal year just closed a statistical scientist, who was 

 formerly in charge of the Division of Crop Reports, was designated 

 as truck-crop speciahst, with a view to organizing special lists of 

 volunteer truck-crop reporters and making estimates of the acreage, 

 condition, and yield of the principal truck crops. 



PERSONNEL. 



At the close of the fiscal year the total number of salaried em- 

 ployees was 151, of whom 109 were stationed in Washington and 42 

 m the field. The total number of volunteer crop reporters and 

 special correspondents throughout the United States was approxi- 

 mately as follows: 



Number of voluntary crop reporters and special correspondents. 



County 2, 805 



Township 30, 100 



Field 15,822 



Special price 5, 978 



Individual farm 28, 193 



County cotton 787 



Township cotton 7, 916 



Individual farm cotton 7, 594 



Special cotton 5, 249 



Mills and elevators 6, 693 



Live stock 4, 514 



Hop 850 



Peanut 3, 311 



923 

 440 

 142 

 629 

 758 

 830 



Bean 



Broom com 



Cranberry 



Potato 



Apple 



Tobacco 



Honeybee 5, 050 



Sheep 6,225 



Rice 145 



Truck crop 8, 000 



Total 147,327 



EXPENDITURES. 



The total appropriation for the Bureau of Crop Estimates for the 

 fiscal year 1915 was $275,580, of which SI 15,580 was for statutory 

 salaries in Washington and $160,000 lump sum. The lump sum 

 appropriation was expended approximately as follows : 



Salaries $88,135 



Travel, station, and field expenses 51, 623 



Office and field supplies and equipment 14, 683 



Freight, express, and drayage 405 



Telegraph and telephone service 1, 080 



The unexpended balance of about $4,000, which will be returned 

 to the Treasury, was due to a saving in salary and travel expenses in 

 a few of the States where field agents were not appointed until near 

 the close of the fiscal year because of delay in establishing eligible 

 registers from which appointments could be made. 



ROUTINE WORK. 



During the fiscal year 17,400 letters were received, 14,800 letters 

 were written, and in the same period approximately^ 751,470 copies 

 of circular letters of inquiry, schedules, and preliminary^ crop esti- 

 mates were printed on duplicating machines and mailed. Over 

 2,000 requisitions of various kinds were drafted, 241 bills of lading 



