352 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 



of very great service. The local rains of summer often find 

 the farmer unprepared, as with his hay, for example, whereas, 

 had he been forewarned, he would have managed differently. 

 In a recent season a general rain fell in the great interior val- 

 ley of California, and the first reports indicated that several 

 million dollars' worth of raisins which are there dried in the 

 open air had been ruined. Later reports, however, showed 

 that the damage was really very slight owing to the rain warn- 

 ings which had been sent out by the Bureau and widely dis- 

 seminated by means of the telephone system which connects 

 the principal vineyards. Warnings are issued of killing frosts 

 and cold waves and these are not only of value to the general 

 farmer, but especially to the fruit grower, the truck gardener, 

 the cranberry interest and the ranch man. Millions of farm- 

 ers now regularly receive these reports, and as the rural de- 

 livery routes are increased in number, and the telephone is 

 more widely installed, other millions will be served, until the 

 whole farming population of the country will receive these 

 forecasts as regularly as citizens of the metropolis now re- 

 ceive the quotations of the stock market. 



Forecasting, however, important as it is, is not the only 

 service possibly not even the most valuable service which 

 is rendered to the farming interests. The permanent records 

 of the bureau are of incalculable service to the home-seeker. 

 Glowing accounts are sent broadcast over the country by 

 agents seeking to induce settlers to move in and buy land in 

 the localities advertised. By consulting the official records, 

 the general climatic conditions the amount of rainfall by 

 months, the percentage of clear days, the readings of the 

 thermometer, and all the other data desired, are disclosed 

 without self-interest and without prejudice. The home- 



