REPORT OF THE DIVISION OF INFORMATION. 



The work of this Division consists principally of collect- 

 ing and furnishing information about agricultural subjects to 

 farmers and the general public, and of supplying information 

 on special topics which is required in the course of the work 

 of the Department. Information to farmers and the public 

 is supplied partly by correspondence and largely by the dis- 

 tribution of publications issued by this Department, by the 

 Agricultural College, and by the Division of Publications of 

 the United States Department of Agriculture. The preparation 

 of material for publication and for answering special inquiries 

 arising within the Department requires a considerable amount 

 of investigation and research. 



Information Service. 



The information service carried on by the Division is directed 

 toward supplying facts that are required by farmers and by 

 other persons interested in gardening, poultry keeping, etc., 

 on a small scale. This information is supplied in various ways, 

 according to requirements. We receive numerous inquiries for 

 general and special information about farming and its vari- 

 ous branches, some of which can be best answered by corre- 

 spondence. In such cases special letters are written replying 

 to the inquiries as completely as possible. It often happens 

 that the inquiry can be better answered by another authority, 

 and in such cases the letters received are referred to that au- 

 thority: for example, the Agricultural Extension Service, the 

 Agricultural Experiment Station, or some bureau of the Federal 

 Department at Washington. 



A considerable variety of questions is raised by persons 

 calling at the office. Sometimes satisfactory replies to such 

 questions can be given by supplying information in printed 

 form. In other instances it is necessary to give the information 

 verbally or consult one of the other divisions. Where such a 



