312 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



by the lack of a stable organization, many of the clerks being assigned 

 to it for only temporary periods. As an indication of the unstable 

 character of. the organization attention is called to the fact that of 

 the eight clerks who were assigned July 1, 1917, at the present date 

 only three remain, although approximately 17 new clerks were assigned 

 during the year, 



DIVISION OF CROP RECORDS. 



This division, under the direct supervision of Mr. Frank Andrews, 

 chief of division, has charge of the official records of crop estimates 

 concerning the United States from Federal, State, and private 

 sources, and also of agricultural statistics of foreign countries. The 

 records have been compiled from published and unpublished reports 

 in such a way as to show in concise and convenient form information 

 that is given in the original reports in a more or less scattered way, 

 usually in a long series of reports and frequently in foreign units of 

 weight and measure. In every completed office record these units 

 of foreign weight and measure have been converted to the equivalent 

 American units. Statistical records giving acreage and production 

 of crops have been compiled for 27 foreign countries. In addition 

 to the regular compilation of records the foreign crop work has 

 included a large amount of special compilations and correspondence. 

 When the compilation of agricultural statistics for the remaining 

 countries is finished (probably within the next year) the Bureau of 

 Crop Estimates will have one of the most complete records of 

 estimates and statistics relating to world crops and live stock in 

 existence, all expressed in terms of American units and in such con- 

 venient form as to be immediately available for reference. Esti- 

 mates of crop production, as made by State officials and private 

 agencies and incfividuals, have been segregated and entered on record 

 practically as soon as received in the division. 



The special investigations of this division included a comprehensive 

 inquiry as to production compared with supply of principal farm 

 products. Some results of this inquiry relating to wool and hides 

 were given in two articles in the Department Yearbook for 1917, 

 and a bulletin on the production and supply of potatoes was in press 

 at the close of the fiscal year. An inquiry as to geographic variations 

 in prices paid to farmers was completed and the results were given 

 in three reports on wheat, corn, and oats, respectively. The bul- 

 letin on wheat prices was published during the year. 



Reports on the sugar crops of the United States and Hawaii are 

 compiled in this division. These reports are based upon actual 

 enumerations, and in this respect are an exception to the general 

 crop-reporting system of the bureau. During the year three reports 

 were made relating to beets and beet sugar — namely, acreage planted, 

 preliminary estimate of beets produced and sugar made, and after 

 the close of the season a final estimate of beet and sugar production. 

 There was also made, in December, the second annual estimate of 

 this bureau on the acreage and production of sugar-beet seed. Three 

 reports were made on the Louisiana sugar industry; one in December, 

 giving the estimated tonnage of cane to be used for sugar; one in 

 January, giving a preliminary estimate of the sugar made; and a 

 final report in May, giving the annual production of sugar, as well 

 as the tonnage and acreage of cane used. One report was made for 



