BUREAU OF CROP ESTIMATES. 305 



IMPROVEMENT IN ORGANIZATION AND EQUIPMENT FOR ESTI- 

 MATING CROP AND LIVE-STOCK PRODUCTION. 



Methods of improving the crop-reporting service are constantly 

 under consideration in the Bureau of Crop Estimates. As pointed 

 out in previous annual reports of this bureau, the most difficult 

 problem encountered in crop reporting is an attempt to estimate 

 acreages planted to different crops and the numbers of different 

 classes of live stock on farms; also such special crops as truck and 

 fruit. To take an annual census of acreages and live stock can not 

 be considered because of the enormous expense involved and the time 

 required to compile and publish the results. Eeturns of local tax 

 assessors in the various States are not always complete, uniform, or 

 available when needed. In lieu of an annual census enumeration the 

 best substitute appears to be an organization or system of reporting 

 for definite areas under the constant observation of field agents who 

 are trained in crop-reporting methods, supplemented by reports of 

 large numbers of individual farmers distributed throughout each 

 area, and by reports of trained specialists on each crop. This in 

 effect is the system at present employed in the Bureau of Crop Esti- 

 mates. Obviously the smaller the territory assigned to each field 

 agent, or what means the same thing, the greater the number of field 

 agents assigned to a given territory, the more thoroughly the acre- 

 ages and condition of crops and the numbers of different classes of 

 live stock can be studied, and the more satisfactory will be results. 

 That better results can be secured from a smaller division of territory 

 has been fully demonstrated since the bureau has had a trained field 

 agent in each of the principal agricultural States, instead of one 

 agent for a group of States, as formerly. However, it is evident that 

 even a single State in the important producing areas is entirely too 

 large for one man to cover effectively. 



If sufficient funds were available to develop fully and perfect the 

 crop-reporting service it Avould be highly desirable to give the field 

 agent in each State one or more trained assistants, so that the State 

 could be divided into districts and a survey made of its agricultural 

 resources and production by counties. 



The efficiency of the field service would be vastly improved'if funds 

 were provided for the employment of a local agent in each county 

 who could devote a portion of his time to estimating crop and live- 

 stock production in the county. While the bureau has a county crop 

 reporter in each county, his services are purely voluntary and he can 

 not be expected to lay aside his regular work to undertake systematic 

 inquiries throughout the county for the benefit of the Government. 

 The county agents of the States Relations Service are unable to de- 

 vote sufficient time to the study of acreages, crop conditions and 

 yields, numbers of live stock and supplies on farms in their counties 

 to be of much service in crop reporting, because their position of 

 farm advisers and relation to best methods of farm management, 

 crop and live-stock production, requires all their time, energy, and 

 attention. If county crop reporters could be given sufficient compen- 

 sation to justify them in devoting a portion of their time exclusively 

 to collecting detailed information with respect to crops and live 

 stock, the bureau would be in much better position to issue its 

 monthly and special reports by counties. 



33382°— AGK 1917 20 



