434 ANNUAL KEPOETS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUPvE. 



Investigations of the methods of accounting used by and the busi- 

 ness practices of commission houses and handlers of perishable fruits 

 and vegetables were completed, and tentative accounting sj^stems 

 were installed in eight organizations for experimental operation. 



As a result of extensive investigation regarding the accounting- 

 needs of cotton gin operators, a system of accounting for such agen- 

 cies has been devised and is now ready for experimental operation. 



Methods of demonstrating the work in accounting and business 

 practice have been given careful consideration and it should be pos- 

 sible to obtain very good results by using the bulletins as a basis for 

 short courses for managers and bookkeepers of marketing organiza- 

 tions. A large number of State schools and colleges have expressed 

 a desire for material of this character upon which to base such 

 courses. 



FOREIGN MARKETING INVESTIGATIONS. 



The signing of the armistice on November 11, 1918, marked the be- 

 ginning of unusual activity among producers and exporters in prep- 

 aration for the resumption of foreign trade, and extensive demands 

 have been made for information concerning foreign marketing con- 

 ditions. Studies were made regarding the marketing in foreign 

 countries of such American agricultural products as grain, grain 

 products, rice, seeds, cotton, vegetable oils, oil cake, dairy products, 

 live .stock, and meats; fresh, dried, and canned fruits and vegetables; 

 and honey, nuts, and leaf tobacco. A large number of official and 

 private foreign publications were reviewed regularlj^ and abstracts 

 and translations were made from them for use in answering corre- 

 spondence and for publication. The work of this project v/as directed 

 by Mr. C. W. Moomaw. 



Statistics covering exports of agricultural products from the 

 United States by 10-day periods were tabulated during the year, al- 

 though this work was discontinued in June. Information assembled 

 from steamshii:) manifests at the ISTew York customliousc was used 

 in the publication of daily and weekly reports on the current ex- 

 ports and imports of live stock, meats, dairy products, grain, fruits, 

 and vegetables. 



Cooperation was maintained wdth an interdepartmental committee 

 appointed to classify the export and import statistics published by 

 the Department of Commerce, and for several months work V7as done 

 in the revision of the classification for agricultural commodities. 

 It is expected that this reclassification will be put into effect Janu- 

 ary 1, 1920. 



To meet the demand for information on foreign markets the 

 publication of a weekly circular entitled " Reports on Foreign Mar- 

 kets for Agricultural Products" was commenced in March, 1919. 

 This publication has been widely circulated and favorably received. 



An investigation concerning the fruit markets in Australia and 

 New^ Zealand was completed in November, 1918, and a report on 

 this subject was prepared for publication. Coincident with this in- 

 A^estigation the live stock, meat, wool, and dairying industries of 

 Australasia were studied. 



As a result of representations made by an investigator of this 

 Bureau through the American consul general at Auckland, the Gov- 



