BUREAU OF STATISTICS. 705 



country, can not be met by supplyinp; previously recorded or definitely 

 ascertained facts, except for every tenth year, when national agricul- 

 tural censuses have been taken. The results shown by the decennial 

 censuses, while of great value, historically and for purposes of com- 

 parison, are not of immediate, current use, as they can not be pub- 

 lished until the year to which they relate has passed. The constant 

 public demand is for immediate current information regarding agri- 

 culture, is pressing and incessant, ami must be met as far as ])()ssible. 



In order to supply this demand, recourse must be had to carefully 

 made estimates based on the best obtainable information; and the 

 collection of such information and making of such estimates is the 

 principal work of this Bureau. Every year these estimates are made 

 from month to month, and are published broadcast, both officially 

 and through the public press, throughout the length and breadth of 

 the land; they are wholly unbiased, and su])ply the only annual 

 official data for all the separate States and the country as a whole 

 regarding the subjects to which they relate. They are relied upon so 

 generally and have become so influential in aiding in the determination 

 of questions of supply and distribution and of price, that the utmost 

 care is required, not only in their preparation, but also in their pub- 

 lication, in order that they may not wrongly affect producers or con- 

 sumers, and that they may be available to all alike. 



The methods by which current information is gathered and 

 handled, and the estimates based thereon are made, have been 

 explained in previous rei)()rts. It will be sufficient to say here that 

 these frequenth' issued estimates are principally founded on the 

 percentage system. The acreage of a given crop in any year is 

 reported by the correspondents and agents of the Bureau in figures 

 representing percentages of the acreage of the preceding year. The 

 growing condition each month of each crop reported upon is indicated 

 in percentages of a normal condition giving promise of a full crop. 

 The production of crojis for which quantitative estimates are made 

 are based on reports indicating estimated jdelds per acre, which, 

 when tabulated and combined, are applied to the acreage figures. 



This brief summary conveys no adequate idea of the great detail 

 and infinite care involved in the work, a description of which would 

 be technical, intricate, and tedious. It requires much training and 

 experience, and those engaged in it must oe persons of ability and 

 judgment. 



The system of collecting information regarding agricultural areas, 

 conditions, and yields, and the numbers and status of farm animals, 

 through reports made by correspondents and agents, reflecting their 

 best knowledge and judgment as to the subjects dealt with, is the only 

 tangible system by a\ liich such data can be secured short of an actual 

 census. iTho diversity of crops, with their ever-changing areas, the 

 enormous extent of farm territory, and the great variety of climatic 

 influences in the United vStates, require, in the work of making esti- 

 mates, the greatest possil)le care, involving consideration of all 

 elements affecting agriculture in the different sections of the country. 



Even with the cooperation of the Bureau's well-informed, intelli- 

 gent c()rresj)ondents and agents, and the exercise of exj)erienced 

 judgment in the consolidiition and consideration of their reports, the 

 most careful quantitative estimates may not fully reflect the facts, 



73477°— AGB 1910 45 



