REPORT OF THE EDITOR, DIVISION OF PUBLICATIONS. 



IT. S, Department of Agriculture, 



Division of Publications, 

 Washington, D. C, August 26, 1901. 

 Sir: I have the honor to submit herewith, for your information and 

 consideration, a report on the work of this Division for the fiscal 

 year ended June 30, 1901; also recommendations in regard to future 

 operations. 



Respectfully, Geo. Wm. Hill, 



Editor and Chief. 

 lion. James Wilson, Secretary. 



WORK OF THE YEAR. 



WORK OF DIVISION GOVERNED BY GROWTH OF DEPARTMENT. 



Before reviewing the work of the Division of Publications for the 

 year just passed it seems desirable to call attention once more to the 

 fact that, so far as the extent of the work is concerned, there is no 

 control possible save the arbitrary limitation imposed by the amount 

 of the appropriations. The extent of the work to be performed in 

 this Division is absolutely dependent upon the growth of the Depart- 

 ment and the activity of its various agencies. This activity depends 

 in its turn upon so many extraneous conditions that no chief of any 

 single Bureau, Division, or Office can even approximate at the begin- 

 ning of the year the amount of printing which he will require during 

 the year. 



CONSEQUENCES OF INADEQUATE APPROPRIATIONS. 



Inasmuch as the appropriations for our work are almost invariably 

 inadequate, the facts just recited being apt to be overlooked, unfor- 

 tunate consequences follow. One of these is the frequent appeal to 

 Congress for a special appropriation for a particular publication much 

 needed in the Department work and in much demand on the part of 

 the public, but which, for want of funds, can not be printed without 

 this special appropriation. The other consequence, and the most to 

 be regretted, is the necessary withholding from publication of much 

 timely and useful matter containing information of great practical 

 utility, but which it is found quite impossible to print from the appro- 

 priation available for that purpose. Grievous injustice also ensues 

 from the insufficiency of funds for the distribution of the publications 

 printed, the unavoidable result being that a very large number of 



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