REPORT OF THK SECRETARY OF AGRICULTFRE. LXXl 



iiiillioiis. At its last session, Congress showed its appreciation of this 

 form of pul)li('ation by a large increase in the appropriation devoted 

 to the preparation and printing of these bulletins, and providing for a 

 distribution through Senators, Representatives, and Delegates of four- 

 iifths of the number of copies printed in lieu of two-thirds, as heretofore. 



THE YEARBOOK. 



The Yearbook for 1899 was prepared with the express purpose of 

 making a book especially adapted to circulation in the last year of 

 the century, and contains a review, by each officer of the Department 

 having charge of a special line of work, of the development of and 

 practical results obtained in the line of scientific investigation with 

 which he is connected. Like its predecessors, this book has, I am 

 glad to. say, been received with marked favor. 



The coincidence of the Paris Exposition with the year of issue of a 

 Yearbook specially devoted to reviewing the progress of agricultural 

 science and enterprise during the past century was sufficiently inter- 

 esting to induce Congress to authorize the issue of a special edition of 

 the work, mainly for distribution abroad, to be known as the Paris 

 Exposition edition, and to be printed on extra paper, with special land- 

 ing. This part of the work was admirabh^ carried out by the Public 

 Printer, and the result is a souvenir volume of a most appropriate and 

 attractive character, very highly appreciated by the distinguished per- 

 sons by whom it is received, and conve3'ing at the same time a worthy 

 tribute to the great industrial exposition held in the last year of the 

 century in the French capital. 



WORK INVOLVED IX DISTRIBUTION OF PUBLICATIOXS. 



The report of the Department Editor lays special stress upon the 

 very large amount of work devolving upon hiuiself and his assistants 

 and the clerks and laborers employed in the distribution of publica- 

 tions. It appears that the total number of replies to communications 

 received in the Division of Publications exceeded 290,000 during the 

 year. Nine thousand of these replies were in the form of written let- 

 ters, the others consisting of partially printed blanks, postal cards, 

 and circulars. In addition to these, some 9,000 letters were written in 

 the main office of the Division, making a total of 300,000 separate 

 communications prepared, addressed, and mailed in that Division dur- 

 ing the 3-ear. In the same period there were, moreover. 3, 340, 349 names 

 and addresses written, covering the folding and dispatch of more than 

 6,300,000 separate documents. The keeping of registers of all publi- 

 cations, save circulars, and 391 separate ledger accounts for Farmers' 

 Bulletins with Senators, Representatives, and Delegates adds very 

 much to the clerical and bookkeeping work of the Division, which 



