REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF THE DIVISION OF 

 PUBLICATIONS. 



United States Department of Agriculture, 



Division of Publications, 



WasMngton, D. C, August 25, 1019. 

 Sir: I hare the honor to submit herewith a report of the work of 

 the Division of PuhHcations for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1919. 

 Respectfully, 



Edwy B. Reid, 

 CJiief of Division. 

 Hon. D. F. Houston, 



Secretary of Agriculiure. 



SUMMARY. 



The bulletins and other publications of the Department of Agri- 

 culture distributed through the Di^ision of Publications during the 

 fiscal year 1919 totaled 62,218,829 copies. Ninety new Farmers' 

 Bulletins were issued, besides many other bulletins and circulars 

 of a popular nature, and great numbers of posters especially pre- 

 pared to assist in the conservation campaigns of the war period. 

 New publications of all classes numbered 840, and reprints were 401, 

 making 1,241 publications issued during the year. Job printing and 

 binding received from the Government Printing Oflice amounted 

 to more than 44^ million pieces, while the aggregate of printing 

 and binding was more than 100 million pieces. 



A greater proportion of the publications than ever before were 

 wi'itten in so direct a style that the farmer could put into use the in- 

 formation obtained in the department's investigations. 



Much progress was made during the year in improving the Farmers' 

 Bulletins in particular. These bulletins have been made shorter; 

 historical matter and scientific details have been largely excluded; 

 teclmical terms have been avoided. The text has been made simple 

 and direct, although much remains to be accomplished. 



The outside appearance of the Farmers' Bulletins has been radi- 

 cally changed by the use of specially designed covers. In many 

 cases a single photograph illustrating the subject covers both the 

 front and the back page, the title of the bulletin being lettered on the 

 photograph in strong but attractive letters. The nam.e of the de- 

 partment and the number of the bulletin are placed at the top for 

 convenience. The department seal is used in all cases as the dis- 

 tinctive ''trademark" of the department's publications. Contain- 

 ing only these few elements, the front page makes a simple and force- 

 ful appeal to the interest of the reader and leads him to turn the 

 cover. 



The inside make-up of the Farmers' Bulletins also in mau}^ cases 

 is varied by typographical devices intended to set out and emphasize 

 the salient features of the text, so as to enhance the interest and 

 elucidate the subject. 



During the year a new series of publications was inaugurated, 

 known as Department Circulars. These take the place of numeroua 



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