STATISTICS MISCELLANEOUS. 197 



nient . . . and by citations from the several laws under which the Department has 

 attained its present state of development." 



Of what service are statistics to the farmer ? J. Hyde ( U. S. Dept. Agr., 

 Division of Statistics Bui. 14, misc. ser., pp. 258-270). — A popular discussion id" the 

 value of statistical information to agricultural interests. (Reprinted from the 

 Yearbook of the Department of Agriculture for 1897, pp. 258-270.) 



Experiment station work — IV (17. S. Dept. Agr.. Farmers 1 Bid. 73, pp. 31, 

 figs. •>'). — This is the fourth number of this series of popular bulletins based upon 

 experiment station work in this and foreign countries. The following subjects are 

 discussed: Pure water, loss of soil fertility, availability of fertilizers, seed selec- 

 tion, Jerusalem artichoke, Kafir corn, thinning fruit, use of low-grade apples, 

 cooking vegetables, condimental feeding stuffs, steer and heifer beef, and swells in 

 canned vegetables. 



Trade of Porto Rico, F. H. Hitchcock (U. S. Dept. Agr., Section of Foreign 

 Markets Bui. 13, pp. 84). — A statistical review of the foreign trade of Porto Pico, 

 showing the nature, amount, and value of the principal imports and exports, the 

 countries with which most of the trade is carried on, etc., for each of the ten years 

 ending witli 1S96. The total export trade of Porto Pico in 1896 amounted to 

 $18,341,130 and the total import trade to $18,282,690. The principal exports of 

 Porto Pico are sugar and coffee. These constitute fully 85 per cent of all agricul- 

 tural merchandise sent from the island to foreign markets. More than 99 per cent 

 of the coffee is sent to Spain, Cuba, and France, and less than 1 per cent to the 

 United States. Out of 122,946,335 pounds of sugar exported from Porto Pico in 

 1896, 71,875,614 pounds were sent to the United .States. Spain received the next 

 largest amount, 43,600,064 pounds. The principal imports of Porto Rico are rice, 

 wheat flour, and hog products. The two latter are obtained principally from the 

 United States and the former from the British East Indies and through German and 

 Spanish sources. 



Crcp circulars for May and June, 1898 ( U. S. Dept. Ayr., Division of Statistics 

 Crop ('ire. May, pj>. 3; June, pp. 4). — The circular for May is the first of a series of 

 crop circulars designed to take the place of the new series crop reports heretofore 

 issued. It gives the acreage and condition of wheat, rye, cotton, meadows, and 

 spring pasture, and notes the progress of spring plowing in the different States and 

 Territories up to the first day of May. The June circular extends this information 

 to June 1 and contains in addition a compiled summary of climatic conditions 

 during the spring months of 1898. 



Report on crops, live stock, etc., in Manitoba, 1898 {Ontario Dept. Agr. and 

 Immigr. Hit I. 55, pp. 19). — Information relative to acreage and condition of the 

 crops, live stock, etc., the rainfall, and other climatic conditions, compiled from the 

 reports of about 350 correspondents. A list of the creameries and cheese factories in 

 Manitoba, with the name and address of secretary of each, is included in the report. 



Crops and live stock in Ontario (Ontario Bureau Did. Did. 65, pp. S). — A report 

 on the rainfall and temperature of the winter months and on the status of fall wheat, 

 clover, vegetation, live stock, farm supplies, etc., with remarks of correspondents, 

 and farm statistics for Manitoba for 1897. 



The development of agriculture in Ontario, C. C. James (Ontario Bureau Did. 

 Iipt. 1896, App., pp. -24-48). — A semi-statistical paper dealing with the history and 

 progress of agriculture in Ontario. 



Brief review of the activity of the Ministry of Agriculture and Government 

 Estates during the second year of its existence, March 30, 1895-March 30, 

 1896 {St. Petersburg. 1896,pp. 234, Y; dbs. in Selsk. Khoz. i Lyesor., 1S5 (1897), Mag, pp. 

 4S1, 482). — Among the features of the work were the following: Seven new lower 

 agricultural schools were opened. In the agricultural school atCharkovanew depart- 

 ment has been established for the study of the methods of teaching agricultural 

 Bui jects and applied natural sciences. In 42 places courses in agriculture have hern 

 introduced for the teachers in pnblic schools. The number of instructors in dairy- 

 ing has been increased and the sphere of their activity widened. Of the work in 



