BUREAU OF CROP ESTIMATES. 311 



COMPILATION OF LISTS. 



On July 1, 1918, approximately 13,300 correspondents were on the 

 list of this section as compared with 14,000 on July 1, 1917, a decrease 

 of about 5 per cent. This decrease is due to a cleaning out of the 

 lists during the past year of "dead" correspondents. 



MAIL HANDLED. 



In the past year 145,157 pieces of mail matter were sent from this 

 section, as compared with 109,449 pieces during 1917— an increase 

 of about 32 per cent. This includes the extra addressing of envelopes, 

 correspondence, miscellaneous inquiries, etc., and does not include 

 the schedules or reports sent in addressed envelopes furnished by the 

 Division of Publications. The record by months is as foUows: July, 

 6,217; August, 5,991; September, 3,311; October, 3,783; November, 

 8,638; December, 6,599; January, 6,154; February, 9,694; March, 

 18,481; April, 23,519; May, 23,473; June, 29,297; total, 145,157. In 

 addition to the foregoing a large amount of incoming mail matter 

 was tabulated, sorted, and filed for future reference. 



ORGANIZATION. 



On July 1, 1918, the organization of this section consisted of 3 

 assistant truck-crop specialists; 1 assistant to the specialist; 1 tem- 

 porary stenographer; 7 permanent clerks, 2 temporary clerks; 2 one- 

 naH time clerks; and 1 messenger. Dming the year, in addition to 

 the personnel on July 1, 1917, 17 new clerks were assigned to this 

 section, and of these 14 resigned, were transferred to other bureaus, 

 or their appointments were terminated, being temporary. In a 

 bill now before Congress, 2 additional assistant truck-crop speciahsts 

 are provided for, and an examination for eligibles was held on August 

 21 and 22, 1918, 13 candidates appearing. In this bill provision is 

 also made for the employment of 25 correspondents to report weekly 

 on the truck-crop situation. 



TRAVEL. 



The three assistant truck-crop specialists have made extensive 

 trips over their territory, gathering information concerning truck 

 crops. In addition to the foregoing travel, one trip to Ohio, Indiana, 

 and Wisconsin, one to Massachusetts, three to Texas, one to Florida, 

 one to California, and two to Norfolk were made by the truck-crop 

 specialist, as well as two trips to Virginia and Maryland by his 

 assistant. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



A large amount of miscellaneous tabulating, typewriting, filing, 

 etc., which is not indicated in the foregoing, has been done during 

 the year. 



SUMMARY. 



During the year the number of inquiries made increased 33 per 

 cent and reports published 106 per cent. The number on the lists 

 decreased about 5 per cent. A start was made on the market-garden 

 phase of the truck-crop project and the information collected was 

 published. The Weekly Truck Crop News is improving each week and 

 as soon as additional correspondents are .provided for it is expected to 

 enlarge the scope of the report. This work has been hampered in the past 



