REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF THE BUREAU OF CROP 



ESTIMATES. 



United States Depart:ment of Agriculture, 



Bureau of Crop Estimates, 

 Washington, D. C, Octoher i, 1920. 



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

 of Crop Estimates for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1920. 

 Respectfull}'^, 



Leon M. Estabrook, 



Chief of Bureau. 

 Hon. E. T. Meredith, 



Secretary of Agriculture. 



APPROPRIATIONS. 



In presenting the situation of the Bureau of Crop Estimates, the 

 conditions under which its work is carried on can not be clearly 

 understood without reference to its annual appropriations. Prior 

 to 1907 the appropriations of tlie bureau were less than $200,000 

 annually and did not reach $300,000 prior to 1917, the first year in 

 which the United States took part in the World War. Interest in 

 crop and live-stock statistics, especially in relation to the food 

 supply, was greatly stimulated by the war, and the demands upon 

 the crop-reporting and statistical service for such information in- 

 creased steadily. For the fiscal year ended June 30, 1918, the bureau 

 had a regular appropriation of $323,452, which was supplemented 

 by an allotment from war emergency funds of $61,590, making a 

 total of $385,042. For the next fiscal year ended June 30, 1919, the 

 regular appropriation was increased to $346,232. with a supplemental 

 allotment of emergency funds of about $117,040, or a total of $463,272. 

 The regular appropriation for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1920, 

 was $371,102, which was $92,170 less than the amount available the 

 previous year. 



The larger appropriations of 1918 and 1919 enabled the bureau 

 to expand the crop-rej^orting service and to supply its branch State 

 offices with much-needed equipment. Inasmuch as the demand for 

 crop and live-stock statistics stimulated by the war has continued, 

 it seemed highly desiralile to continue the same service in the fiscal 

 year 1920 as was furnished the preceding year. The attempt was 

 made with an appropriation one-fifth less and in the face of higher 

 cost of all stationery, supplies, and equipment, the difference in the 

 appropriations being met by dispensing with the services of one- 

 fifth of the clerical force at the Washington office and by making a 



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