534 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



object itself to the written word. The production section receives 

 valuable assistance and cooperation from the various bureau repre- 

 sentatives. In the warehouse at Alexandria many of our exhibits are 

 assembled and packing cases made for them. From tliis warehouse 

 15 carloads of exhibits were shipped to the various showdng points. 

 In the distribution and presentation of our exhibits about 96 persons 

 recruited from the different bureaus and State agencies cooperate. 

 Men in the field may be detailed for the duration of an exhibition. 

 Various State extension offices, State departments of agriculture, 

 and local agencies often cooperate. 



The real measure of the service rendered is shown by the fact that 

 we not only get requests to come back to places where we have 

 exhibited, but also because we get requests for our material from 

 hundreds of new sources. Usually this is because a boys' and girls' 

 club exhibit at one of the fairs, Sioux City, Iowa, for example, has 

 shown a farmer how his son may earn enough money for a good 

 agricultural education, or because a home exonomics exhibit has 

 shown a farmer's wife how to obtain the comforts and conveniences 

 that make rural life pleasant. It may have shown the farmer himself 

 how to get weather and market forecasts by radio and how to use 

 them to advantage. Perhaps the residents of a mountain district 

 are made to realize their responsibility for action after having seen 

 one of our forest-fire exhibits at a neighborhood fair. 



The extent to which the department can send its exhibits around 

 the country is limited because of the appropriation available for this 

 purpose. Often many associations are so interested in having our 

 exhibits that they pay transportation and installation costs. This 

 good wall on the part of the cooperators has enabled the department 

 to present its information to hundreds of thousands of persons more 

 than would have been possible otherwise. 



The administrative and clerical section, consisting of 17 persons, 

 in addition to the production and distribution functions already men- 

 tioned, has searched continually for new ideas and improved methods. 

 Much of the success of an exhibit depends upon the novelty of its 

 presentation. Economical production can result only from the use 

 of efficient methods and the cheapest material that will give the 

 desired effect. With these things in mind our staff has made many 

 visits outside of Washington to institutions doing similar work or 

 employing similar methods. 



A careful and detailed index of references to publications about 

 exhibit material has been started as a supplement to information 

 already contained in our files. This index is a great timesaver and 

 supplies information which previously, while not entirely unavailable, 

 was not readily obtainable when time was an important factor. . 



Last year attention was called to the exhibit prepared for the 

 Brazilian International Centennial Exposition. This exhibit was 

 shown in the United States Building on the exposition grounds in 

 Rio de Janerio from December ^3, 1922, to Jul}^ 1, 1923. ft occupied 

 1,200 square feet of floor space and was viewed by about 400,000 

 persons. In August, 1922, three representatives from the depart- 

 ment were sent to install and present the exhibit. The information 

 acquired at this exposition will be of great value in the preparation 

 of exhibits for other important international expositions. 



The 12 booth exhibit for the boys' and girls' club encampment at 

 Sioux City, Iowa, from September 17 to 23, was received enthusi- 



