632 ANNUAL RErORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Of the miscellaneous publications there were distributed 17,060,839, 

 or 3,400,872 copies more than durin^;: tiie previous year, and 701,931 

 more than were received from the printer, the excess, of course, 

 being supplied from the number on hand July 1, 1910. The number 

 on hand July 1, 1911, was 3,387,637 copies. 



DOMESTIC DISTRIBUTION. 



During the fiscal year ended June 30, 1911, there were available 

 for distribution 10,972,206 Farmers' Bulletins, of which 8,524,716 

 copies were distributed — on requests of Members of Congress 5,474,079 

 copies, and 3,050,637 copies on requests from miscellaneous appli- 

 cants, leaving 2,447,490 copies on hand June 30, 1911. 



In addition to the Farmers' Bulletins distributed there were sent 

 out on orders of Members of Congress 1,112,000 Farmers' Bulletin 

 lists. 



Following is a statement showing the distribution of Farmers* 

 Bulletins for the year: 



Congressional distribution, 1910-11 5, 474, 079 



Miscellaneous distribution, 1910-11 3, 050, 637 



Total distribution, 1910-11 8, 524, 716 



The receiving, handling, and distribution of over 25,000,000 pub- 

 lications required laborious and painstaking work and it was accom- 

 plished with celerity and remarkable accuracy. 



It affords me much satisfaction to state that although it was recently 

 necessary by order of the building inspectors of the District of 

 Columbia to change the entire arrangement for storing publications, 

 that work was accomplished without any serious interference with 

 the general work of distributing publications. The gigantic task of 

 changing the position and rearranging the millions of publications 

 that w^ere on band in this office at the time could not have been 

 accomplished except by systematic and conscientious effort. Dur- 

 ing the period while the bins were being torn out and the new ones 

 erected, the employees worked with exceptional energy and faith- 

 fulness both day and evening. 



FOREIGN MAIL. 



An important factor of the work in connection with the distribu- 

 tion of publications is that of the foreign-mail distribution. Tliis 

 entire work requires great care and accuracy. Kecently, upon the 

 recommendation of the Committee on Efficiency and Economy, the 

 mail to England, Germany, and France is sent through the Smith- 

 sonian Exchange. 



During the fiscal year 1910-11, 85,544 packages of mail matter, 

 weighing 32,585.3 pounds and requiring $1,952.05 worth of postage, 

 were sent through this office. These figures do not include the 

 6,222 packages, weighing 2,492 pounds, forwarded through the 

 Smithsonian Exchange. A statement showing the amount of for- 

 eign mail sent on the orders of the different bureaus, divisions, and 

 offices, and giving the weight and cost of postage, etc., follows: 



