192 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



Statements relating to live stock and to principal farm 

 crops (except cotton) are made public on the 10th of each 

 month, the cotton statements being issued on the 3d during 

 the growing season ; and, to make this information avail- 

 able simultaneously throughout the entire United States, 

 the statements are sent by telegraph. Also, in order that 

 the figures may bo placed Avithin eas}' reach of farmers at the 

 earliest possible moment, cards containing the principal 

 featui'es of the report are mailed to every postmaster within 

 from four to twenty hours of the time that the statements 

 are telegraphed, and are conspicuously posted for the infor- 

 mation of the public. 



The Division of Statistics carries on a large correspond- 

 ence with persons, not only in this country, but in countries 

 in all parts of the world, in supplying information upon 

 request, and from time to time makes special statistical 

 reports upon subjects wdth which farmers are especially 

 concerned. 



The Biological Survey. 



The Biological Survey is engaged in several lines of work 

 of interest to the thoughtful firmer. For more than seven- 

 teen years it has been carrying on without interruption a 

 comprehensive investigation of the food and food-habits of 

 birds known or believed to be factors worth taking into 

 account by the farmer and fruit grower. During this period 

 it has studied the food-habits of a great variety of birds in 

 the field, and has examined in the laboratory the stomachs 

 of 22,000 birds. These investigations have led to some 

 very important conclusions, many of which have already 

 been published, and may be found in our bulletins on 

 "Hawks and owls from the stand-point of the farmer," 

 " The crow in relation to agriculture," " The English spar- 

 row in America," " Four common birds of the farm and 

 garden," "Birds that injure grain,"' " Food of woodpeck- 

 ers," "Food of nestling birds," "Cuckoos and shrikes," 

 "Bobolinks, grackles and blackbirds," "Food of native 

 sparrows," and " Common birds in relation to agriculture." 

 These bulletins tell the farmer and fruit grower what birds 

 injure particular crops, what birds are beneficial in whole or 



