704 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



year. These iii(|uinos have rehited to the usual wide diversity of 

 subjects and recjuired ((uite extensive researches into (kmiestic and 

 foreign statistical literature i'or the information requested. 



The management and care of the library, translatinfj;, typewriting, 

 etc., involves labor of a more or less routine nature, and, excepting 

 for a constantly increasing tendency, remains of the same general 

 character from one year to another. There have been the usual 

 accretions to the library through exchange and purchase in statistics 

 of agricultiu'C, especially of those relative to the area and production 

 of crops. It is doubtless as complete as any similar collection in the 

 world. 



WORK OF THE DIVISION OF DOMESTIC CROP REPORTS. 



As in the past, the most important work of the Bureau has consisted 

 in collecting information and compiling reports regarding crop 

 acreages, conditions, and yields, and the number and status of farm 

 animals. The tabulation and computation of reports received from 

 the many thousand voluntary correspondents of the Bureau devolves 

 upon the Division of Domestic Crop Reports; and so heavy is this 

 work, at times, that clerks from other divisions have to be drawn 

 into requisition to aid in their prompt com])ilation, so that they may 

 be ready for final preparation and promulgation at the earliest possible 

 date after the time to which they relate, from month to month. 

 Approximately four-fifths of the total funds of the Bureau are 

 expended on die work of collecting and compiling information for 

 our monthly crop reports, the importance and necessity of which 

 are grow'ing rapidly. 



IMPORTANCE OF FREQUENT INFORMATION. 



The demand for current statistical information is constant and 

 increasing. In all lines of human endeavor and accomplishment 

 there is never ceasing call for facts, or, in their absence, of reliable 

 estimates which may serve as guides to those whose interests are 

 identified with the country's and world's productive and commercial 

 activities. 



Available statistics liave never been sufficient in scope and detail to 

 meet public demands, notwithstanding that statistical science and 

 methods have enormously improved and developed in recent years, 

 until at present vastly more data, covering wider ranges of industry 

 and accomplishment, are available than in the past. 



In many lines the statistics given the public are compiled from 

 carefully kept records, of which the exports and imports of the nation, 

 or the financial transactions and status of municipalities, States, and 

 the country at large, are examples. The decennial census statistics 

 are based on actual enumerations; and, nearly always, wdiether the 

 subject dealt with be governmental, commercial, or otherwise, the 

 statistical data published regarding it result from combinations of 

 accomplished facts definitely ascertained. 



The necessity for information regarding agriculture, the areas, 

 growing conditions, and yields, of leading crops throughout the 



