REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. 31 



ing the by-products. The work already under way on methods of 

 handling, packing, storing, shipping, and utilizing fish in order to 

 make the supply more immediately available for food has been 

 extended and developed. In connection with the efforts to increase 

 the supply of poultry and eggs, plans have been made to stimulate 

 the establishment of poultry and egg packing plants in accordance 

 with the principles worked out by the Food Research Laboratory. 

 Ten additional men are being assigned to this work. Arrangements 

 have been completed with three small packing houses to serve as 

 demonstrations for their communities and become centers for the 

 distribution of information regarding better methods of handling, 

 packing, and shipping. The work of determining the proper 

 methods of drying fruits and vegetables on a commercial scale has 

 been continued and extended. The Bureau of Plant Industry is also 

 giving special attention to the drying of agricultural products under 

 farm conditions. 



PUBLICATION ACTIVITIES. 



The information service, which furnishes timely articles to the 

 press regarding the activities of the Department and the results of 

 its investigations and experiments, has been enlarged in several direc- 

 tions. Plans have been perfected for supplying information to 

 the weekly newspapers, women's magazines, agricultural press, and 

 others in more available form. On October 15, 1917, a number of 

 agricultural editors were asked to come to Washington to discuss the 

 work of the Department in this field and to make suggestions for 

 improvement. They promptly responded and made a number of 

 recommendations of a helpful character. 



There has been an unusually large demand for the publications of 

 the Department. Over 22,000,000 emergency Farmers' Bulletins, cir- 

 culars, leaflets, posters, and the like were published from April 1 to 

 November 1 in connection with the efforts to increase production, to 

 eliminate waste, and to promote conservation, and an equal number of 

 publications dealing with the regular activities of the Department 

 were issued in the same period, making a total since April 1 of ap- 

 proximately 44,000,000. The special circulars and posters were dis- 

 tributed largely through the county agents and other cooperating 

 agencies. Copies also were supplied to official organizations, war 

 committees, civic associations, and patriotic clubs throughout the 

 United States. 



