BUREAU or AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS. 193 



the number of receiving sets on farms is rapidly approaching a 

 quarter of a milhon, and that through the distribution of these re- 

 ports by local schools, farmers' organizations, business houses, etc., 

 our market information is becoming available to a large proportion 

 of our farmers. 



NEW BULLETIN SERIES STARTED. 



The regular publication work of the bureau has been marked by 

 two new developments. The first is the beginning of a series of 

 manuscripts, to appear later as commodity bulletins, in each of which 

 the methods of marketing a single commodity are portrayed against 

 a comprehensive background that gives the student the essential facts 

 regarding amount of commodity produced, sources of supply, chan- 

 nels of trade through which it passes, quantity, and place of consump- 

 tion. At least two of the farmers' bulletins that have appeared this 

 year relating to the marketing of potatoes follow this outline of 

 treatment to a certain extent. 



Inauguration of a new series of statistical bulletins constitutes the 

 second development. Several manuscripts of this series were pre- 

 pared before the close of the fiscal year and one was issued shortly 

 after the end of the year. Each bulletin of this series will give in 

 comprehensive form the essential statistics regarding the connnodity 

 or related commodities which it treats. This series will include 

 statistics on cold-storage holdings of certain food products; statistics 

 on horses, mules, and tractors; sheep, lamb, and mutton, and wool; 

 vegetables; seeds; fruits; potatoes; carlot shipments of fruits and 

 vegetables; wheat; tobacco, rye, oats, barley, rice, buckwheat, grain 

 sorghum, and flax; cotton; hay and feed; cattle, calves, beef, veal, 

 hides, and skins; hogs and pork; corn; dairy and poultry products. 



Progress has been made toward standardization of practices in 

 both statistical and graphic methods used in publications of the 

 bureau, and increased attention has been given to questions of make- 

 vip and distribution. 



WEATHER, CROPS, AND MARKETS EXPANDED. 



The weekly periodical. Weather, Crops, and Markets, although a 

 department publication, lias been assembled and edited in this divi- 

 sion. All of the material used in this publication, excepting that 

 relating to weather and a weekly list of publications of the depart- 

 ment, originate in various divisions of the bureau. The volume of 

 this material offered for publication has been steadily increasing, 

 which necessitates a close condensation in order to keep the size 

 of the publication within the limits of funds available for its print- 

 ing. Early in the year a distinct change in the character of tabu- 

 lated material was made, giving more emphasis to trends and com- 

 parisons than market prices. The typographical arrangement of 

 the publication was modified and several new factors were intro- 

 duced, such as a review of the market week on the first page and the 

 introduction of articles giving summaries of the agricultural situa- 

 tion with respect to various products. 



The several mimeographed reports which appear regularly have 

 been edited in this division and their distribution has been directed 

 to those who appear most interested in the work. The Bureau of 



