REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTUEE. 31 



fully demonstrated its value. Through the cooperation of the Navy 

 Department the high-powered radio stations at Arlington, Va., Great 

 Lakes, 111., and San Francisco, Calif., have been used in transmitting 

 market information which has reached a large portion of the country. 

 The secondarj^ broadcasting by radio telephone has been further 

 developed, an-'l now any farmer who has an adequate receiving set 

 may get full market reports from the air in practically every part of 

 the United States. An inquiry among county agents showed that the 

 number of receiving sets on farms is rapidly approaching a quarter 

 of a million and that through the distribution of these reports by 

 local schools, farmers' organizations, business houses, etc., the market 

 information is becoming available to a large proportion of our 

 farmers. 



IPrCRKASKD DBIMAND FOR INFORMATION ON AGRICULTURAL SITUATION. 



Conditions during the past year throughout the countrj^ have 

 tended to increase the demands made upon the Department of Agri- 

 culture for facts and figures which help to interpret the constantly 

 changing situation. In line therewith the department has attempted 

 to make still more effective its machinery for disseminating timely 

 economic information. Through its extension organization it has 

 succeeded in maintaining excellent contact for this purpose with 

 farmers and farm leaders. Charts and statistical summaries have 

 been sent out at regular intervals and these have been widely 

 used by individuals and the press. A condensed summary has been 

 prepared each month, showing the trend of important economic 

 factors, such as production, consumption, movement, and prices. 

 This monthly summary has been issued as a mimeographed circular 

 under the title "The Agricultural Situation." This circular con- 

 tains a terse statement of the month's developments in production, 

 prices, movement to market, exports, cold storage, and business fac- 

 tors reflecting demand for farm products. 



SHIPPING POINT INSPECTION SERVICE. 



For the fiscal year 1923 Congress authorized this department to 

 inspect fruit and vegetables at shipping points. This opened the 

 field for a new service of supreme importance to tlie fruit and 

 vegetable industry, as it makes it possible for producers and ship- 



