650 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



of the bureau, and, when requested, for other branches of the depart- 

 ment; (8) the management and care of the bureau's statistical 

 library, including the maintenance of a card catalogue of the agri- 

 cultural statistics contained therein; (9) stenography and typowTiting 

 for the bureau and occasionally for other bureaus of the department. 



The manuscript of 9 bulletins, 2 circulars, and 12 monthly editions 

 of the Crop Rcjiorter have been reviewed, either wholly or in part, 

 in the division during the year. Of the bulletins, G were prepared 

 in other branches of the bureau ; the data for 3 bulletins and 2 circulars 

 were assembled and the writing thereof done in this division. The 

 present status of this feature of the division's work is that 7 bulletins 

 are in press and 2 in process of review ; the 2 circulars have been 

 published. 



Of the bulletins prepared in the division during the year, one, 

 entitled "Russian Cereal Crops, area and production by governments 

 and provinces," is in press; two. entitled "The World Production, 

 Trade, and Consumption of Conee," and "The World Production, 

 Distribution, and Trade in Coconuts," are in process of review, the 

 work having been delayed by a lack of sufficient assistance. 



The remaining work of the di\'ision has varied little from the usual 

 routine; the usual statistical tables have been compiled for publica- 

 tion in the Yearbook, showing, by countries, the reported world area 

 and production of corn, w^heat, oats, barley, rye, and flaxseed, and 

 the production of coffee; by courtesy of the Ofhce of the Commis- 

 sioner of Internal Revenue comprehensive statements have been 

 tabulated relative to the sales of tobacco by domestic growers and 

 the consumption of hops by domestic brewers, the former for use in 

 the bureau in connection with its estimates on tobacco production, 

 and the latter for publication in the Crop Reporter; among the most 

 important functions of the division has oeen extensive research into 

 foreign and domestic official and unofficial publications for diverse 

 statistical data relative to areas, yields, commerce, prices, etc., of 

 agricultural products in the United States and foreign countries, this 

 information being for the most part required in preparing answers to 

 the voluminous requests made upon this bureau by legislators, pro- 

 fessional and business men for data of this character. 



Constant improvement is being made in the management of the 

 library. The actual number of bound and unbound volumes con- 

 tained therein June, 1911, was 8,034, and pamphlets, 1,283. The 

 number of daily domestic and foreign publications received is 43, 

 monthly 70, weekly 78, and quarterly 23. 



FARM VALUES AND PURCHASING POWER OF FARM PRODUCTS. 



In my report of 1910 I showed that the value of 1 acre of the 

 farmer's crops in 1909 was 72.7 per cent more than in 1899; that the 

 cost of articles purchased by farmers had increased about 12,1 per 

 cent; and, consequently, the purchasing power of the produce of 1 

 acre in 1909 was about 54 per cent greater than the purchasing power 

 of the produce of 1 acre in 1899. 



This statement is in harmony with reports recently issued by the 

 census relating to farm values; according to census reports land 

 values have increased 109 per cent from 1900 to 1910, as is shown in 

 the comparative table on page 15. 



