36 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



more than 51.6 per cent over the output of last year. This includes 

 341 earlier publications, the editions of which totaled 19,947,500, 

 rej^inted to supply the continuing demand, and 28,258,500 copies of 

 emergency leaflets, pamphlets, posters, and the like issued in connec- 

 tion with the efforts of the Department to stimulate production. All 

 previous records with regard to new Farmers' Bulletins were broken, 

 130 new bulletins in this series having been issued, the editions of 

 which aggregated 10,815,000 copies. Of the 236 bulletins reprinted 

 to supply the continuing demand, the editions reached 10,884,000 

 copies. The total issues of the bulletins in this series, therefore, 

 amounted to 21,699,000 copies. 



Noteworthy improvement in the character, form, and general ap- 

 pearance of the bulletins was accomplished during the year. Many 

 of the earlier bulletins were revised and reduced, all extraneous mat- 

 ter eliminated, specific and positive statements substituted, and re- 

 printed with attractive cover designs and text illustrations. 



INFORMATION SERVICE. 



To meet the increasing needs of the Department for publicity in 

 its campaigns to stimulate food production and conservation, the 

 services to the press of the country were largely extended. In addi- 

 tion to furnishing information to farmers through the agricultural 

 and rural press, the Department has found it wise to present to 

 people of the cities accurate statements of its recommendations and 

 advice on the distribution and saving of food materials; and the 

 work of the Department was enlarged to this end. An illustrated 

 weekly news service is now furnished on request to 3,200 dailies and 

 weeklies, which set the type in their own offices, through plate-mak- 

 ing concerns to 250 papers, and to 4,000 smaller weeklies in ready 

 print, a total of 7,450 publications. It is probable that this service 

 reaches 15,000,000 to 20,000,000 readers weekly. A home-garden 

 series and a canning-drying series were distributed in much the same 

 manner. 



The Weekly News Letter, enlarged from 8 pages to 16 pages on 

 occasions, has a circulation of 130,000. It reaches newspapers and 

 other publications. Federal and State agricultural workers and coop- 

 erators, agricultural leaders, libraries, and chambers of commerce. 

 As the official organ of the Department, it carries material intended 

 to further national agi'icultural campaigns and publishes official 

 statements. Popular articles discussing the experimental results of 



