REPORT OF THE STATISTICIAN. 



TJ. S. Department of Agriculture, 



Division of Statistics, 

 Waslungion, D. C, November 1, 1902. 

 Sir: I have the honor to submit herewith a report of the work of 

 the Division of Statistics for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1902. » 

 Respectfulh', 



John Hyde, 



Statistician. 

 Hon. James Wilson, Secretary. 



WORK OF THE YEAR. 



The work of the Division of Statistics has consisted mainly, as in 

 past years, of the preparation of reports relative to the extent and 

 geographical distribution of the area of production of the principal 

 products of the soil, the condition and prosj)ects of the different crops 

 during the growing season, and the quantity, quality, and disposition 

 of the product harvested, together with the latest inforiuation con- 

 cerning the croj)s of such foreign countries as enter into comi^etition 

 with the United States in the markets of the world. 



No amplification of the scope of the work was practicable until an 

 increased approjiriation should provide for the employment of a larger 

 number of experts and compilers. 



While, as already stated, there could be no immediate enlargement 

 of the scoi^e of the work of this Division, arrangements have been made 

 for the resumption of the reports on live stock and on tobacco, which 

 had been temporarily suspended pending the publication of those of 

 the Census. 



The results of such work as the Division has been engaged in, other 

 than that of crop reporting, have been embodied in publications on 

 "Statistics on the fruit industry of California," "Wheat ports of the 

 Pacific coast," "The future demand for American cotton," and "The 

 cotton-seed industry," with numerous statistical articles on various 

 subjects appearing from time to time in the Crop Reporter. 



With a view to further improving the crop-reporting service of the 

 Division, two additional field agents have been appointed, and the 

 statistical expert, who has for some j^ears had charge of the crop sta- 

 tistics of foreign countries competing with the United States, has been 

 sent to London, England, where he is in closer touch with the statis- 

 tical offices of the different European Governments, whose reports, 

 along with the most authoritative commercial intelligence of interest 

 to American agriculturists, he transmits to Washington by mail or 

 cable immediately upon their becoming available. 



In cooi^eration with the State Agricultural College of Minnesota, a 

 statistical investigation is being conducted by the Division of Statis- 



AGR 1902 26 401 



