10 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



them. Public hearings were held in four of the large grain market- 

 ing and exporting centers and in Washington. The suggestions 

 received by letter and at the hearings were fully considered in draft- 

 ing the final form of the rules and regulations, which were promul- 

 gated on November 6, 1916, effective December 1, 1916. 



Examinations have been held at various points to determine the 

 competency of persons who have applied for licenses to inspect and 

 grade shelled corn and to certificate the grade thereof. Licenses 

 relating to other grains will not be issued until standards for them 

 have been established. 



In order that the work of licensed inspectors may be supervised 

 properly, and appeals and disputes under the act dealt with 

 promptly, it has seemed advisable for the present to divide the coun- 

 try into 32 districts. This number may be increased when standards 

 for other grains have been established. The districting has been 

 made with a view to place all sections of the country in convenient 

 reach of a grain supervisor. In each district there will be an office of 

 Federal grain supervision, usually in charge of a grain supervisor or 

 a board of grain supervisors. The city in which the office is lo- 

 cated has been designated in each case as the district headquarters. 

 The right to appeal or to refer a dispute in all cases must be exercised 

 by sending the question for determination to the grain supervisor in 

 charge of the particular district under whose jurisdiction it falls. 



.Grain producers and all branches of the grain trade have shown a 

 commendable desire to cooperate with the department in bringing 

 fbout the most beneficial operation of the law. 



The administration of the United States Warehouse Act has 

 been intrusted to the Office of Markets and Rural Organization. The 

 rules and regulations for its enforcement are in course of prepara- 

 tion. A tentative draft will be published in the near future, and all 

 interested parties will be given an opportunity to submit suggestions. 



THE FOOD SUPPLY. 



Interesting questions arise as to whether the domestic food supply 

 of the Nation is keeping pace with the growth in population and 

 as to what are the prospects for the future. The following table 

 in this connection is illuminating; 



