BUBEAU 0¥ AgEICULTUEB. 11 



The law presumes that the Assessor will aid this 

 Department in collecting statistics. The method of gath- 

 ering these statistics, as now practiced, is harmful, in- 

 stead of helpful to the State's interest. False statistics 

 are worse than no statistics at all, and some action 

 should be taken that will either provide for the collec- 

 tion of reliable statistics on the part of the Assessor, or 

 the questions should be left off the Assessor's blanks. 

 We deem it unwise to publish as a part of the Biennial 

 Eeport of this Department, the statistical report of the 

 Board of Equalization, or its data on farm statistics. Its 

 report is necessarily incomplete, due to the methods of 

 collection, and to scatter it broadcast would do the State 

 an injustice. The act providing for a Commissioner of 

 Agriculture, Labor & Statistics, specifies the statistical 

 information that shall be collected, and yet the funds 

 are not sufficient to gather these statistics in one Con- 

 gressional District. 



The thinking farmers of Kentucky are rapidly 

 reaching the conclusion that the increased production of 

 farm crops is not the only thing the State G-ovemment 

 should foster along agricultural lines, but the market- 

 ing of farm products is equally as important, and hence 

 feel that the General Assembly should make some 

 provision for a "marketing bureau" in this Department. 



An expert accountant has examined our books each 

 year, and copies of his statement showing where and for 

 what the State's money appropriated for this Depart- 

 ment has been expended, is on file in this office. 



A study of the work of this Department should con- 

 vince anyone that there should be laws enacted reorgan- 

 izing the work so that the Commissioner and the State 

 Board of Agriculture can render to the taxpayers of the 

 State more efficient services along the lines indicated 

 above, Avithout any additional appropriation. With the 

 authority given by the Legislature to do so, a part of the 

 Department's funds can be used to meet the require- 

 ments of the Smith-Lever law, namely, that the State put 

 up a given amount, and the Federal Government wiU 

 duplicate it. By combining and co-operating with the 

 Extension Department of the State University, the 

 necessary additional funds may thus be secured for hold- 



