7G0 ANNUAL RErORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



WORK OF THE YEAR. 



The Division of Publications does not orif^inate new work. The 

 Editor supervises the expenditure of the fund for printing and bind- 

 ing, so as to provide for the various bureaus, divisions, and offices 

 such printing and binding as may be required in the prosecution of 

 their work and to secure the pubHcation of the results of their 

 investigations in as attractive form and in as maximum editions as 

 the available appropriation ^^•ill supply. Even with the most eco- 

 nomical administration of the printmg fund it was found insufficient 

 to meet the requirements of the department during the year. The 

 economies practiced extended to the condensation of contemplated 

 publications by editorial supervision and review; to improvement 

 in form and style; to the selection and preparation of illustrations, 

 confining them to such as are al)solutely necessary; and to the pre- 

 vention of waste in the vast volume of blanks, blank books, etc. 



The appropriation for printing and binding was practically ex- 

 hausted early in June, in consequence of which a considerable amount 

 of work already ordered could not be completed, and numerous pub- 

 lications containing the results of important investigations had to 

 be held up," to the great inconvenience of the department, as well as 

 to the people, for whom the documents are printed. The policy was 

 adopted of conserving the funds as far as possible for new publica- 

 tions and of ordering reprints only of those for which there was an 

 unusually great and continuous demand. 



More publications were sent out upon the orders of Senators, Repre- 

 sentatives, and Delegates in Congress during the last year than ever 

 before, as the result of applications made to them by their constitu- 

 ents, showing an increasing use of the department's publications. 

 For the first time in the history of the department every Senator, 

 Representative, and Delegate in Congress utilized in whole or in part 

 his allotment of Farmers' Bulletins. 



The demand for published information was greater than ever 

 before, and the number of bulletins, reports, and circulars distributed 

 exceeded that during any previous year. There is apparently no 

 limit to the number of copies of our publications desired by miscel- 

 laneous applicants. While more than 34,000,000 were distributed 

 during the year, a much greater number would have been required to 

 supply the demand. The policy has been to supply applicants with 

 the publications, in limited numbers, as long as they were available 

 for distribution; after that to refer them to the superintendent of 

 documents. Government Printing Office, who has them for sale under 

 the law. As it is not likely that a sufficient appropriation will ever be 

 made to print enough publications to supply the demand, it will be 

 necessary to continue that policy. 



A considerable increase m the volume of administration blanks, 

 blank books, etc., was required during the year, the expenditure for 

 which \<^as greater than ever before. This is due to tlie extension 

 of the operations of the department and a necessary incident to its 

 growth. 



Another important feature of the year's work was the increasing 

 use of the lists of Farmers' Bulletins by Senators, Representatives, 

 and Delegates in Congress, more than 3,000,000 copies being supplied 



