290 ANNUAL REPOETS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



of illustrations, distributing proofs and returning them to the print" 

 ing office, and following up the work in hand, with a view to facih" 

 tating delivery. 



The editing of the manuscripts was done in the Office of the Secre- 

 tary, under the immediate direction of the chief editor, Mr. Edwy B. 

 Reid, acting under the general supervision of Mr. Clarence Ousley, 

 Assistant Secretary in charge of the department's publication ac- 

 tivities. The chief editor, with a small force of assistant editors, 

 examined, criticized, edited, and approved all manuscripts before 

 they were forwarded for printing. The chief editor frequently 

 called upon the Committee on Examination of Manuscripts, which 

 acts in an advisory capacity, for advice on matters of policy and 

 classification. 



The quantity of editorial work, both of the chief editor's office and 

 of the editorial section of this division, is reflected in the tabulated 

 statement showing the number of publications issued during the 

 year. Tlie work comprised, besides the regular pubHcations, numer- 

 ous emergency circulars, leaflets, posters, etc., used by the depart- 

 ment in its campaign to increase crop production. These circulars, 

 as well as the Farmers' Bulletins, were edited with a view to pre- 

 senting information briefly and interestingly for popular reading. 

 Attention was given also to printing them in attractive and at the 

 same time economical form, so as better to accomplish the instruc- 

 tional purpose for which they were issued. It is believed that a 

 noticeable improvement in the subject matter as well as in the 

 general appearance of all published material has been achieved 

 during the year. 



The following statement, showing the number of new pubhcations 

 and reprints issued during the year, and for comparison those issued 

 during the preceding nine years, indicates the volume of editorial 

 work: 



New publications, ten years, 1909 to 1918. 



The miscellaneous printing, such as blanks, circulars of inquiry, 

 blank books, and job work generally, was handled as heretofore in 

 the editorial section. 



INDEXING SECTION. 



An increasing demand for references to department pubhcations 

 to be found in the card indexes in the Indexing Section has been 

 noticed, especially in the second half of the year. 



When an investigation on any subject is proposed, the investi- 

 gator usually would find useful a full list of all references to the sub- 

 ject in the department publications. Sucli lists as have been called 

 for have usually been furnished by the Indexing Section in a day or 

 two at most. 



