BUREAU OF STATISTICS. 647 



also been added the prices of the 13 products referred to in the pre- 

 ceding paragraph, and in all tributary branches of the work. The 

 maintenance of lists of crop correspondents has been systematized; 

 and, as sho-\\Ti above for the list of to^vnship correspondents, a large 

 improvement has residted; and the improvement relates not only to 

 the number of reports returned, but to the careful distribution of the 

 correspondents, mcreased tenure of service, and the consequent 

 increased rehability of the reports returned. A number of special 

 lists of correspondents have been secured, as dealers in hve stock, 

 grain, tobacco, apples, and potatoes. A list of veterinary surgeons 

 has also been secured with reference to obtaining expert opinion 

 regarding the condition, mortahty, etc., of live stock; also, as above 

 mentioned, a list of buyers of farm products to supplement the 

 information regarding prices obtained montlily from producers. The 

 care and maintenance of these lists entail a large increase iti the 

 amount of time devoted to such work. A further large increase in 

 the dispatch and receipt of mail (about 1,000,000 pieces are sent out 

 annually) and in general statistical work has occurred. 



Notwithstanding the large increase in the work of the division, 

 outlined above, it has been able to perform an increasing amount of 

 work for other cU visions of the bureau. In 1907 but 2.7 per cent of 

 its time was charged to work performed for other divisions; 11.1 per 

 cent in 1908; 17 per cent in 1909; and in 1910, 22.5 per cent of its 

 time was so employed. 



The monthly tabulation sheets are now handed to the Statistician 

 from two to three days earlier than in 1905. 



It is further to be noted that while the work of the division charge- 

 able to "crop report" has heavily increased during this period, the 

 percentage of the time of the division charged to "crop report" 

 <lecreased from 96.1 per cent in 1907 to 76.7 per cent in 1910, and the 

 average number of clerks employed on the work from 38 in the fiscal 

 year 1906-7 to 34 m the fiscal year 1910-11. 



WORK OF THE DIVISION OF PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION. 

 producers' and consumers' prices OF FARM PRODUCTS. 



In the Division of Production and Distribution an investigation 

 that caused much discussion throughout the country was concerned 

 with the prices of farm products. In the case of each product, the 

 price received by farmers was compared with that paid by consumers. 

 Two aspects were presented — the farmers' share or consumers' prices, 

 and consumers' price as an increase of farmers' price. An immense 

 relative increase in the prices of farm products between farmers and 

 consumers was discovered, and the excessive costliness of the distrib- 

 utive system was indicated. 



AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND POPULATION. 



The high prices of many farm products during the few years pre- 

 ceding 1911 had given ground for the popular inference that the 

 agriculture of this country was unequal to the needs of the increasing 

 population. Investigation of the facts with regard to this feature 

 was made, without ascertaining any causes for alarm. On the con- 

 trary, it was evident that this country has been and is passing through 



