482 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. 



PURCHASE AND DISTRIBUTION OF NITRATE OF SODA. 



Section 27 of the food control act authorized the President to 

 procure and sell nitrate of soda to farmers at cost, for the purpose 

 of increasing production, and appropriated $10,000,000 for that 

 purpose. By direction of the President, the War Industries Board 

 made arrangements for the purchase oi the nitrate, and the Secretary 

 of Agriculture made arrangements for its sale and distribution, 

 designating the Bureau of Markets as the agency through which 

 the work was to be handled. Messrs. D. F. Murph and George R. 

 Argo have given a great deal of time to this work, while remaining in 

 charge of the projects which they regularly supervise. 



Contracts were made for the purchase of about 120,000 short 

 tons and arrangements were effected to secure, through the Shipping 

 Board, tonnage for transporting the nitrate from Chile to this country. 

 Early in the year 1918, effort was made to estimate the cost of the 

 nitrate, and as a result the price was established at $75.50 f. o. b. 

 cars at port of arrival, which price was announced in January, 1918. 

 Farmers were given an opportunity to make applications for nitrate 

 through county agricultural agents and committees of local business 

 men appointed for the purpose. Applications were received for more 

 than 120,000 tons, the total quantity pm'chased. About 75,000 

 farmers submitted applications for quantities ranging trom one -tenth 

 of a ton to more than 100 tons. On account of the lack of available 

 shipping it was possible to bring in, up to June 30, 1918, only about 

 75,000 tons. Practically all of this nitrate actually had been shipped 

 to farmers by June 30. 



Some of tlie nitrate was consigned directly to farmers, but the 

 greater part was consigned to countv distributors in the various 

 counties. It became evident early in the year that on account of the 

 lack of vessels, sufficient nitrate would not arrive in time to make 

 complete delivery during the period of greatest need. Consequently, 

 in order to make the quickest and most equitable distribution pos- 

 sible, and to save to farmers the interest on deposits required to 

 be made in payment for nitrate, there was appointed in each of a 

 number of counties requiring a large quantity of nitrate, a county 

 distributor to whom shipments for the county were made, on sight 

 draft with bill of lading attached, and by whom distribution was 

 made to the farmers. 



A ship with a capacity of about 7,700 tons, which had been assigned 

 to transport nitrate for this department, was wrecked on the coast 

 of Chile, though, as she was not loaded, no nitrate was lost. Another 

 ship, with a cargo of about 5,700 tons, went ashore on the coast of 

 Cuba, and was so badlj' damaged that most of her cargo was lost. 



On June 30 there remained in Chile between 39,000 and 40,000 

 short tons of nitrate for which the department had been unable to 

 secure transportation to this country from the Shipping Board. 



REGULATORY WORK. 



ENFORCEMENT OF THE UNITED STATES COTTON FUTURES ACT. 



The general administrative work connected with the enforcement 

 of the cotton futures act is under the direct supervision of the Chief 

 of the Bureau, assisted by IVIr. D. S. Murph. The enforcement of 

 the act is carried out under the followitig projects' 



