CHAPTER XVIII 



THE AGRICULTURAL PRESS 



THERE are at present nearly five hundred agricultural papers 

 in the United States. While the bulk of these have an average 

 circulation of fewer than one hundred thousand copies, yet there 

 are about fifty papers with a circulation of over one hundred 

 thousand each. There are seven farm papers with an average 

 circulation each of over five hundred thousand. It is obvious, 

 therefore, that a majority of the farmers read at least one agri- 

 cultural paper, and many of them more than one paper. 



The agricultural press is now a highly differentiated institution, 

 so that even the most highly specialized farm interest has its 

 organ. For instance, not merely does the stock grower have his 

 paper, but there is a particular paper for a particular kind of stock, 

 such as Holstein cows or Percheron horses. Similarly, with the 

 growers of field crops. Not only are there hay journals, but 

 journals dealing with alfalfa. However, the agricultural press, 

 considered from the broader standpoint, is made up not merely 

 of these specialized journals dealing with live stock, horticulture, 

 bee keeping, etc., but also and chiefly of that type of farm paper 

 which is written for the farmer's entire household. 



Point of View. The best type of farm paper to-day looks on 

 the farmer first as a citizen. Such a paper is nonpartisan and 

 nonsectarian. Yet, in a very real sense, such a paper is much 

 concerned with the broader political and religious questions of the 

 day. The farmer is regarded first of all as interested and concerned 

 with the civil, social, economic, political, educational and moral 

 forces about him the general questions of good citizenship. And 

 in the second place the farmer is looked upon as interested and 

 concerned about good farming. A careful examination of a num- 

 ber of our largest and best farm papers shows that their editorial 

 point of view towards farming is, first, a good man, and second, 

 a good farmer. 1 



Best Type of Farm Paper. The best type of farm paper is of 

 course that one which best serves the real and permanent interests 

 of its readers. It performs a real service, not merely to the farming 

 " class" but also to the State and nation. It has a deep responsi- 



1 See Appendix to this chapter for different viewpoint 



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