88 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AORICULTURE. 



On account of the great activity of the department's investigators 

 and tlie unprecedented demand for published results, the appropria- 

 tion for printing and binding was practically exhausted early in 

 June, in consequence of Avhich numerous publications containing 

 accounts of the results of important investigations were delayed until 

 July 1, to the great inconvenience of the department and the dis- 

 appointment and loss of the public. An increase in the appropria- 

 tion is necessary in order to enable the department to publish all the 

 information acquired for the benefit of the people, as required by the 

 organic act creating the department. 



farmers' bulletins. 



The demand for Farmers' Bulletins has never been so great. This 

 is not surprising, since they are written in plain language and 

 cover such a variet}^ of subjects, among which are some sure to 

 be of interest to everyone. Forty-four new bulletins of this series 

 were issued during the year. It is now^ 23 years since the first Farm- 

 ers' Bulletin was issued, and the unfailing popularity of these pam- 

 phlets has demonstrated the wisdom of their publication. In 189G 

 less than 2,000,000 met the demand, while in 1912 nearly 11,000,000 

 copies were issued, and many more were requested by correspond- 

 ents, but could not be supplied. These bulletins are distributed 

 jointly by the department and Members of the two Houses of Con- 

 gress, four-fifths being placed at the disposal of Senators, Representa- 

 tives, and Delegates. With the present appropriation it is possible 

 to make an allotment of 12,500 copies to each, which is admittedly 

 insufficient to supply the requests. With the increased membership 

 of the Sixty-third Congress an increase of 10 per cent in the present 

 appropriation of $125,000 will be required to allot this number to 

 each Senator, Representative, and Delegate, and I have accordingly 

 submitted an estimate for $137,500 for the printing of these publica- 

 tions. Of these publications 7.351,202 copies were distributed upon 

 the orders of Senators and Representatives, being 1,877.183 more than 

 during the last year. 



SALE or DEPARTMENT PUBLICATIONS. 



The superintendent of documents of the Government Printing 

 Office is authorized by law to sell Government publications, and, 

 with the consent of the head of the department, to reprint such as 

 may be needed to meet the demands when his supply is exhausted, 

 defraying the cost out of his receipts for publications sold. 



Last year he sold 171,866 copies of this department's publications, 

 120,450 of which were provided from reprints. The amount of these 

 sales was $16,428.07. The larger number of the publications sold 



