No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 1» 



CONCLUSION 



Having been conuected witli llie DeparlmeuL as its executive of- 

 ficer less than three mouths, it is apparent to your Excellency that 

 J have not been able to study the great problems that confront agri- 

 culture in Pennsylvania and to arrive at any definite conclusion as 

 to what is needed to develop and expand this great industry. My 

 time thus far has been occupied in a partial reorganization of the 

 work of the Department and refitting and rearranging the rooms. 

 The I^ureau of I'ublications has been created thus centralizing the dis- 

 tribution of bulletins, etc., under one head. A Bureau of Disburse- 

 ments has been established, where the accounts of the Department and 

 all the Bureaus, under the immediate supervision of the Secretary, 

 are kept thus simplifying the methods in the keeping of receipts and 

 expenditures. 



On entering upon my duties, I found a lamentable ignorance of 

 what the Department stood for, and but little reference made to it 

 in the public press. In following up the aggressive policy inaugurated, 

 a Publicity Bureau was created, from w^hich is issued a Weekly Press 

 Bulletin released every Monday and sent to more than 900 newspapers 

 and agricultural journals of the State containing concise statements 

 of what the Department is doing and giving to the public the thought 

 and suggestions of our best informed experts. These suggestions, 

 coming first-hand, go each week to the tens of thousands of homes 

 giving advice and counsel on every subject that in any way is related 

 to farm and home life. The work of this Bureau is yet in its in- 

 fancy, but from reports obtained, a marked interest has been aroused 

 and the public press are requiring the articles sent and many have 

 made favorable comment on the new departure. 



In conclusion, I wish to express my appreciation of the courtesy 

 you have sbown me and the thoughtful interest you have manifested 

 in the operations of the Department and the great farming con- 

 stituency back of it. 



I have the honor to be 



Sincerely yours, 



CHARLES E. PATTON, 

 Secretary of Agriculture. 



