MARKETING LETTUCE 39 
CROP REPORTING SERVICE 
The Division of Crop and Livestock Estimates of the Bureau of 
Agricultural Economics disseminates crop and livestock estimates 
based upon data obtained from agricultural statisticians in the field 
and from voluntary crop reporters. The agricultural statistician in 
each State keeps in touch with the best-informed opinion on acreage 
and condition of the crops throughout his district by travel and by 
maintenance of a special corps of reporters, and renders periodic 
reports for his State. Of the voluntary correspondents, the county 
reporters submit reports regularly for their respective counties and 
the township reporters for their respective localities. Special lists of 
reporters are maintained for special inquiries. Keports from these 
independent sources are tabulated and summarized separately, and 
each is used as a check on the others. 
MARKET NEWS SERVICE 
The Bureau of Agricultural Economics also maintains a market 
news service covering the most important fruits and vegetables, in- 
cluding lettuce, with permanent offices in the important consuming 
and distributing centers and temporary field offices in the principal 
producing areas during the shipping season. 10 Daily market reports 
are issued by these offices, showing car-lot shipments made each day 
from the producing sections, destinations, diversions, arrivals, and 
supplies on the markets, the quality and condition of receipts, and 
prices paid in terminal markets and at points of origin. Figure 23 
is a facsimile of one of these reports. 
The reports are distributed free by mail upon request. Some 
large producers, dealers, and associations of growers receive reports 
by telegraph or telephone direct from the nearest field station by 
paying the cost of communication. They are also broadcast daily by 
numerous radio stations, to which the information is furnished by 
the market news offices. Many newspapers and farm periodicals 
carry either the daily reports or weekly summaries which are pre- 
pared for this purpose. 
Field stations were operated by the Bureau of Agricultural Eco- 
nomics for the distribution of lettuce information during the 1924 
season at El Centro, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, Calif., Port- 
land, Oreg., Denver, Colo., Jacksonville, Fla., and Rochester, N. Y. 
Most of the permanent market stations in the large cities include 
lettuce information in their daily fruit and vegetable reports during 
periods of heavy receipts of this commodity. 
A weekly publication of the United States Department of Agricul- 
ture at Washington, known as Crops and Markets, contains from 
time to time important information concerning the lettuce crop and 
markets. 11 This includes weekly market articles, prevailing price 
trends and ranges, crop reports, and estimates. 
10 A more detailed discussion of this service is contained in United States Dept. of 
Agr. Yearbook Separate 797, How to Use Market Stations, by G. B. Fiske. Copies may 
be obtained from the United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. This 
article is also in United States Dept. of Agr. Yearbook, 1919 pp.. 94-114. 
11 Crops and Markets may be obtained from the Superintendent of Documents, Govern- 
ment Printing Office, Washington, D. C, at a cost of $1 per year. 
