42 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



information collected by the Weather Bureau from cooperating 

 vessels is furnished to the Ilydrographic Ofhce of the Navy Depart- 

 ment, the information thus furnished constituting an imj)ortant part 

 of the Pilot Chart published by that Office. The Marine Division 

 also has charge of the wireless telegraph and vessel-reporting services 

 of the Bureau; these services liaA^e been conducted to the satisfaction 

 of marine exchanges and other similar associations during the year. 



PUBLICATIONS. 



Certain changes in the manner of issuing publications were made 

 during the year with a view to better serving the public needs. Of 

 these, the most important was the policy adopted of discontinuing 

 station weather maps wherever the newspapers would undertake 

 their publication. Although the plan has been operative only four 

 months, the ''commercial weather map," as it is called, is now being 

 published in 65 morning and evening papers in 45 cities, while 55 

 additional stations will introduce the method as soon as suitable 

 outjfits can be supplied. As a result of the change, the weather chart 

 is now placed twice daily before millions of people, instead of thou- 

 sands as heretofore, while the saving to the Bureau by discontinuing 

 printing work will enable extensions of service along other lines. 



BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 



The Bureau of Animal Industry has charge of the work of the 

 Department relating to the live-stock industry. It conducts the 

 inspection of live stock, meat, and meat food products intended for 

 interstate or foreign commerce, under the act of Congress of June 30, 

 1906, and also has charge of the inspection of import and export 

 animals and the quarantine stations for imported animals. It makes 

 investigations in the breeding and feeding of live stock and in regard 

 to the dairy industry. It also carries on scientific investigations as 

 to the nature, cause, and prevention of communicable diseases of live 

 stock and takes measures for their control and eradication, frequently 

 in cooperation with state and territorial authorities. 



MEAT INSPECTION. 



The meat inspection has reached such proportions that it is only 

 by strict economy that the Department is able to carry on this work 

 within the standing annual appropriation of $3,000,000. During the 

 past fiscal year the cost of this inspection was about $2,940,000. The 

 inspection was conducted at 919 establishments in 237 cities and 

 to"s\Tis, an increase of 43 establishments and a decrease of 3 cities and 

 towns as compared with the preceding year. There were inspected 

 before slaughter 49,307,672 animals, consisting of 7,999,547 cattle, 

 2,295,800 calves, 27,731,627 hogs, 11,164,635 sheep, and 116,063 



