402 HEARINGS BEFORE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE. 
We appointed, I think, one additional expert in the office, and I think 
that is about all. 
The Cuatrman. What will be your limit for field men; how much 
further do you want to go with field men? 
Mr. Hotes. I think we will have the country pretty well covered 
if we ask for those four men. 
The CHairman. You would not want to agree not to ask for any 
more next year / 
Mr. Hotmes. I would; yes, sir. I would be very well satisfied. 
During the season when we do not have to report on cotton crops, if 
we have no use for the cotton men going around to see our milling 
people, we might use them in the wheat country. 
The CHarrMAN. Can not you use your wheat men in the rice country ? 
Mr. Hotmes. Our wheat men start to report the wheat before they 
do cotton. We start reporting wheat the Ist of March. 
The CuHatrman. How about rice? 
Mr. Hotmes. JT know very little about rice—and 1 am not prepared 
to say much about it. That is what we want the rice man for. 
Mr. Haucen. It seems to me the statement you made a few 
moments ago is an extraordinary one, that the supply division held 
requisitions for a month. 
Mr. Hotmers. I would not like to have that taken down. That was 
avery broad statement; but we have had requisitions held a few days. 
Mr. Havucen. Can not that be remedied by putting in an efficient 
man and pay attention to business in that department? 
Mr. Hoitmes. They have got a good man there; every one knows 
that if you transact business through another division you will lose 
time. 
Mr. Haucen. You are conducting this busiriess in the same build- 
ing, are you not? 
ir. Hoimes. No; we are in a separate building. 
Mr. Havucen. What is the distance between the buildings? : 
Mr. Hotmes. A hundred yards. Whereanything has to go through 
an extra set of hands, you lose the time. 
Mr. Haueen. Certainly some time will be lost, but nothing like a 
month or, twenty-four hours. 
The CHarrman. You said that, as far as the field work is concerned, 
there is no practical benefit from it? 
Mr. Hotmes. It is merely in the executive work of the office. 
The Cuarrman. Tell me, Mr. Holmes, when would you send your 
rice men to work? 
Mr. Hotmes. Immediately. 
The Cuarrman. At what period of the year? 
Mr. Hotness. For a starter, I would send him to work the minute I 
would get him. 
The CHatrMan. What would hedo if yousent him to work to-morrow? 
Tell the committee what he would do. 
Mr. Hotmes. He would get right down into the rice country. 
The CuarrMan. It is practically all harvested / 
Mr. Hotmes. What we want him for now is to get us on the right 
track to make our first estimate on rice crop of last year. It is very 
essential that we should make that an accurate report. 
Mr. Burteson. And ascertain the proper acreage next year? 
Mr. Hormes. And then ascertain the proper acreage for next year. 
The Cuairman. When is rice ripe? 
