1C) KKPOllT OV THE COilMISSIO.KIi (K' AGRlClJL/i CKE. 



by the (IfpnvtnK'nf. Tlicsc! jir-.^ liist veii(i<Ml by the statistician l)y coin- 

 ]);nisi)n with the most reliab-le <l;ita attainable fVoiu otliei- 80ur(;e.s, then 

 classified ami aiTai!j;i'<l in the tabuhiied Ibnn whicii tlie miuierous ac- 

 comi^anying tables i>re.seut. Those relatiui;" to the fti'owiiift crops are 

 first compiled for issue in the JNIontlily Ibillctin of the department. 

 This is })repared by this division and widely disseminated through the 

 mails and through the daily aud weekly press, whicli are furnished with 

 early copies. These crop reports, aiid, indeed, ;ill the statistics of 

 this department have become necessary not oidy to the producing agri- 

 culturists, but also to the middlemen and consumers, and under the 

 untiring and careful supervision of the statistician aud his painstaking 

 assistants, are l>ecoming noted for that accuracy which should charac- 

 terize all statistical work. The labor involved is not only arduous, but 

 of an intricate character. It requires discretion, judgment, and expe- 

 rience. It cannot be intelligently performed by novices, nor will it do to 

 intrust it to those of careless or negligent habits, because slight errors 

 in the calculations might i)rove injurious to some of the most im^^ortant 

 interests in the country. A liberal increase in the force of this division 

 is very desiralde. Each addition to the list of correspondents adds to 

 the hibor of this di\'ision and also augments the value of the crojj reports 

 in accuracy and reliability. 



* The frequent applications made to the department for statistical in- 

 formation by agents of foreign governments, by merchants, and by 

 members of Congress, have all been i)romptly met in a satisfactory 

 manner by the facts and figures collected and recorded. 



The collection and tabulation of such statistics of European produc- 

 tion as bear on our own markets have been made a subject of special 

 care. The contrast presented as illustrated by these interesting and 

 instructive tables will well repay the stud}" necessary to digest the infor- 

 nnition conveyed. 



Investigations regarding the "wages of labor" aud the '' value of farm 

 lands" have been instituted and considerable progress made in their 

 prosecution,- but, owing to pressure of other duties and inadequacy of 

 force, the work was necessarily suspended during several montlis. 



As the value of farm lands is largely dependent on the ])rice of labor 

 for their productive cultivation, the average wages of labor l^'comes an 

 important factor in successful agriculture as weil as in the present and 

 prospective money \alue of fanns. It is clear that the taxes on an un- 

 productive farm wouul soon consume its value. As production is im- 

 possible without liibor, the cost of tlie latter becomes a vital point with 

 the agxicultiuist. It will be p-ossible to pursue these interesting inves- 

 tigations in a more thorough manner, and lay the results before the 

 country in such a way as will, it is believed, be productive of many ben- 

 e!lls, if the bill entitled ''A bill to encourage inter-State migTation," in- 

 troduced by Hon. AV. F. Sjipp, of Iowa, at the second session of the 



