448 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



During the year a branch office was established at San Francisco, 

 and the service was extended temporarily to Jacksonville, Fla., In- 

 dianapolis, and Cincinnati. By these additions the number of branch 

 offices with leased-wire service was increased to 20. The daily re- 

 ports on meat trade conditions w^ere continued with the addition of 

 price quotations on wholesale pork and veal cuts. These reports 

 were expanded to include trade conditions and prices at Chicago and 

 San Francisco and a " flash wire " indicating the trend of early trad- 

 ing also was added. Both the daily and weekly reports were im- 

 proved by condensing the text, which made them more readily useful 

 to the trade. Approximately 3,500,000 copies of each of the vai'ious 

 daily reports and 750,000 copies of the weekly reports were dis- 

 tributed during the year. 



Early in the fiscal year arrangements were made to issue the report 

 on live-stock loadings from Chicago instead of Washington in order 

 to expedite the receipt of the information and to reduce operating 

 costs. It also was found desirable to condense and combine certain 

 reports which are noAV issued as the " Daily Live Stock and Meat 

 Trade News,'' more than 20,000 copies of which are being distributed 

 each week. This report includes estimated live-stock receipts at 

 8 to 10 markets for the day on which the report is released, actual 

 receipts of the previous day at the market from whence the report 

 is issued, the disposition of stock received at this market, and meat 

 trade and live-stock conditions and prices at various markets. 

 Monthly receipts and disposition of live stock at public stockyards 

 are compiled and published and arrangements have been made for 

 more complete and uniform reports from stockyards companies. Re- 

 ports are now received from 79 stockyards in 71 cities. 



Reports concerning the " in " and " out " movement of live stock 

 in grazing and feeding districts were continued, and the live-stock 

 feeders in the districts of Lancaster, Pa., northern Colorado, and 

 the Arkansas Valley of Colorado were furnished current information 

 relative to the movement of live stock from their districts. 



Owing to urgent demands the telegraphic reporting service, which 

 was begun during the previous year at Chicago, was extended to 

 include the live-stock markets at Kansas City, Omaha, and East St. 

 Louis. This service consists of a series of telegraphic reports issued 

 at intervals during each market day. The early reports give esti- 

 mated receipts and the later reports give actual market conditions 

 and prices on all classes of live stock. Through the commercial news 

 departments of telegraph companies, the press associations, and 

 other agencies in addition to the Bureau's branch offices, this service 

 is made available to interested persons both at market centers and 

 country points throughout the United States. 



Following the armistice there was a general demand that the 

 monthly survey of stocks of hides and skins which w^as conducted 

 during the war by the Tanners' Council be continued by this Bureau. 

 In January, 1919, this work was undertaken. In the course of this 

 survey information is collected regarding the supply of domestic 

 and foreign hides and skins on hand and in transit at the close of 

 business on the last day of each month as reported by packers, deal- 

 ers, importers, and tanners. Summaries of these reports are com- 

 piled and distributed. 



