REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF THE SECTION OF FOREIGN MARKETS. 



U. S. Department of Agriculture, 



Section of Foreign Markets, 

 Washington, D. C, Septemher 1, 1900. 



Sir: I have the honor to submit herewith the report of the Section 

 of Foreign ^Markets for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1900. 

 Respectfully, 



Frank H. Hitchcock, 



Chief. 

 lion. James Wilson, Secretary. 



WORK OF THE YEAR. 



Commercial expansion was a subject that attracted unusual atten- 

 tion during the past fiscal year. The growing interest in export trade 

 development manifested itself, among other ways, in larger demands 

 upon the Section of Foreign Markets. 



Inquiries Regarding the New Dependencies and the Orient. 



As in the year preceding, much of the information requested had 

 reference to our newly acquired dependencies. A lively interest was 

 also sho\vn in the commercial possil)ilities of the Orient, recent devel- 

 opments having directed a more general attention to that quarter of 

 the world. 



Use of Computing Machines. 



The statistical work required during the year in order to supply the 

 information requested, and espeeiall}^ that involved in the prepara- 

 tion of the numerous tables used in the publications issued, called for 

 a large amount of computing. Through the utilization to the greatest 

 j)0ssil)le extent of the modern calculating machines, with which the 

 office is now fully equipped, the necessary computations were per- 

 formed with much greater facility than in the i)ast. For several years 

 the Section has been making a careful investigation into the relative 

 merits of the various computing machines on the market, and after a 

 thorough trial of the most approved types, two styles have been 

 adopted as meeting most satisfactorily the needs of the office. One 

 style of machine is used exclusively for adding and the other for all 

 work in division and multiplication. The two kinds of machines 

 adopted are employed together to excellent advantage, the work of 

 one supi3lenientiug that of tlie other. Several machines of each style 

 have been i^urchased, and now practically the entire task of computing, 

 which plays such an fmi)ortant part in the operations of the Section, 

 is done by mechanical means. Experience has shown, as regards 



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