BEPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 89 



were from the technical and scientific series, and of course much the 

 greater part of the receipts was from the sale of that class, but there 

 was an increase in the number of popular pamphlets called for, 

 showing the willingness of the unscientific reader of agricultural 

 literature to pay the nominal price charged when the department's 

 supply is exhausted. 



LARGER EDITIONS OF 100-PAGE PUBLICATIONS. 



In my last report reference was made to a provision of a bill 

 revising the general printing law pending in Congress increasing 

 the limit on editions of bulletins of the department from 1,000 to 

 2,500 copies. The bill is still pending, and it is earnestly hoped that 

 this provision will be retained, in order that the department may 

 distribute its more important publications, in many cases of high 

 scientific value, more widely among the colleges, universities, and 

 investigators in the scientific world, instead of being limited to 

 Government institutions, and most of these only in this country. 

 There are numerous other equally important provisions in the new 

 printing bill which if enacted will enable this department to admin- 

 ister its appropriation more economically and efficiently and increase 

 its usefulness to the people. 



EDUCATIONAL USE OF OUR PUBLICATIONS. 



The demand from the instructors and pupils in all grades of 

 schools for agricultural literature is evidenced by the numerous 

 requests, frequently for large numbers, received for department 

 documents, which, owing to limited funds, it has not been possible 

 to grant. Many of our publications are being used as textbooks, 

 and it is believed that such use should be encouraged, even at the 

 expense of an increase in the fund for printing. 



SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS. 



The publications of a scientific or technical character constitute 

 about 3.") per cent of those issued by the department, and wdiile their 

 distribution is naturally rather restricted, they constitute the perma- 

 nent record of the achievements of our scientists, and many of them 

 furnish the basis for the numerous popular bulletins and reports. 

 They are of the greatest importance, and their prompt publication 

 should always be insured. This has not always been possible with 

 the available funds, and an increase in the appropriation has been 

 re(|uested and should receive favorable consideration. The issuance 

 of a monthly or quarterly serial to which all bureaus, divisions, and 

 offices could contribute would atTord a convenient and permanent 

 record for publishing many brief scientific papers which separately 



