6 OREGON FARMER 



with the State Immigration Commission and the State Immigration 

 Agent in publishing this digest of the survey in an edition of 25,000 

 copies. Professors Cordley, Lewis and Bexell were appointed as 

 an editing committee. The total cost of the survey, including the 

 tabulation of the report and the preparation of the copy for this 

 bulletin, but not including the cost of publication, was $3,900.11. 

 (See Annual Report of Oregon State Immigration Commission, 

 1912.) That so much has been accomplished at such slight expense 

 is due in no little degree to the various railroad companies of the 

 State who generously furnished transportation over their respective 

 lines for all men engaged in this work. 



The scope of the work is well indicated by the following letter 

 which was sent out to a large number of citizens in various parts 

 of the State: 

 ''Dear Sir: 



"The Oregon Statistical Bureau, in co-operation with the Agricultural 

 College, is making a preliminary agricultural survey of a number of leading 

 farms in every county in the State. The object of this survey is primarily 

 to determine the opportunities in each locality for new settlers and, if possible, 

 to find some of the difficulties in agricultural development. 



"A number of farms in your locality will be visited during the summer 



by Mr. . Such questions as the following will be asked: The value 



of land, machinery, stock on hand June 1; the acreage and yield of each crop 

 in 1911; the amount of these crops sold and the receipts; the amount of other 

 farm products, such as milk, butter, eggs, fruit, etc., sold during the year, 

 and the receipts; the expenses for labor, seed, feed, fertilizer, machinery, 

 threshing, etc.; the methods of cultivation used and your observation of the 

 results. 



"As your answer will be used for the benefit of your community and of 

 the entire State, accuracy of statement is of the utmost importance. All of 

 the informatiou received from you and your neighbors will be compiled in 

 making up a final report on the general conditions in your community. Your 

 statement will be considered strictly confidential. The reports of individuals 

 will not be published without their consent. 



"We hope that the farmers will assist our representatives in securing the 

 information desired and that in turn the College and the Immigration Com- 

 mission may aid the farmers by giving advice to all those who wish it." 



During the preliminary discussions regarding the scope of the 

 survey it soon became evident that a number of separate question- 

 naires would be necessary in order to accumulate the desired infor- 

 mation relative to the various types of farming. The preparation 

 of these was assigned to the various members of the advisory com- 

 mittee, under the general supervision of the Director, who edited 

 and published them in pamphlet form for the use of the field agents. 

 The field work began June 17, 1912, and was prosecuted vigorously 

 until October. Upon receipt of the earlier reports, the work of 

 tabulation was begun in order to detect and correct any possible 

 errors that might be made by any of the agents at the earliest possible 

 moment. All data as it came in was tabulated first by counties 

 and then by districts. When all the reports had been received and 

 tabulated the information thus accumulated was referred to the 



