BUREAU OF MARKETS. 471 



New and improved laboratory equipment has been developed for 

 work in determining the grade of grain, and tables of equivalents for 

 use in analyzing work prepared and distributed. This equipment 

 has included apparatus for determining the weight per bushel of dif- 

 ferent grains; grain probes used in sampling work; remodeled dock- 

 age machines; newly designed laboratory tables for analytical and 

 revicAv work; a portable grain sami)ling device; and charts and tables 

 of equivalents for wheat sample analysis work. 



BOAr.U OF REVIEW. 



All analysis separations of grain samples made in the field offices 

 have been reviewed at the Washington office by a board consisting of 

 five thoroughly experienced analysts, namely, Messrs. E. G. Boerner, 

 H. J. Besley, "W. J. O'Loughlin, C. A. Russell, and J. F. Chilton. 

 Tlie corrected separations have been returned to the laboratories from 

 which received, and, as a result, the laboratory work of each office 

 is standardized and the efficiency of the employees in the field offices 

 engaged in analytical work is materially increased. The uniformity 

 in the laboratory work in the field is also reflected in the work of 

 the licensed inspectors, who are constantly under the supervision of 

 the grain supervisor and his assistants in the district in which such 

 inspectors are located. 



THE UNITED STATES 'WAREHOUSE ACT. 



Much work has been done preliminary to the administration of the 

 United States warehouse act under the direction of Messrs. D. S. 

 Murpli and R. L. Xixon. This work consists of investigations of 

 storage conditions and the establishment of lists of warehouses for 

 the storage of the various products. Lists of tobacco and wool ware- 

 houses have been developed and kept up to date. By means of a de- 

 tailed inquiry sent to these warehouses, much information has been 

 obtained relative to storage capacities, charges for storage, insurance 

 rates, and related matters, which will be of value in the administra- 

 tion of tlie act. Similar data had been obtained previously from cot- 

 ton warehouses in the course of the cotton warehousing investiga- 

 tions of the bureau. The lists of grain elevators and warehouses de- 

 veloped in connection with the enforcement of the grain standardsj 

 act are available for work under the Avarehouse act. 



The tentative rules and regulations and the necessary forms to be 

 used in the enforcement of the United States warehouse act have been 

 drawn up, and conferences and hearings will be held during October, 

 1917, with warehousemen, insurance men. representatives of the 

 bonding companies, and others interested, to determine the final form 

 of rules and regulations. It is expected that in the near future the 

 act, which is permissive only, will be put in operation. Work under 

 this act has necessarily been delayed because of the great amount of 

 legal work demanded of the Solicitor's Office of the Department of 

 Agriculture in connection with the many laws intrusted to the 

 department for administration. 



Much interest in the legislation has been shown by warehousemen, 

 bankers, and others. Letters are now being sent to bankers in the 

 cotton and tobacco producing sections of the country calling atten- 



