DIVISION OF PUBLICATIONS. 317 



EDITORIAL SECTION. 



The editing of the manuscripts was done with a small force of 

 assistant editors under the immediate supervision of Mr. W. F. 

 Harding and under the general direction of the Chief of the Divi- 

 sion. The work comprised not only the regular publications, but 

 numerous emergency circulars, leaflets, etc., designed to stimulate 

 agriculture and increase crop production. The editorial work had 

 for its principal object the presentation of information in the briefest, 

 most attractive, and most economical form. 



In addition to the 840 new publications issued during the year, a 

 a number of manuscripts were edited and prepared for the printer, 

 but not published because of insufficient funds, while others, upon 

 critical examination, were found imsuitable for publication. 



The editorial work upon manuscripts is done with a view to adapt- 

 ing them to the series of publications in which they are to be issued. 

 The contributing bureaus and authors are freely consulted, with 

 the purpose of insuring accuracy in the statements made and 

 with the object of adopting the most desirable and convincing 

 form of presenting the subject matter of the publication. The aim 

 has been to condense the publications to the briefest possible limits. 

 Many of the bulletins issued during the year have been reduced in 

 number of pages at least 25 per cent, and no bulletin exceeding 1 00 

 pages was issued. Desirable as this policy is from the point 

 of view of eflectiveness of the publications, it is practically forced 

 upon the department by the Ihnitations of the printing fund and 

 the rising cost of printing. 



During the year a new series of publications known as Department 

 Circulars was inaugurated to take the place of various unnumbered 

 circulars heretofore issued by the different bureaus. Twenty-two 

 of these circulars were issued during the year. 



The new hand-lettered title pages for the Farmers* Bulletins, 

 commenced in 1918, have been continued during the year, and the 

 marked improvement in the appearance of these bulletins has been 

 generally commended. 



Both the printing and editorial work of the division were under 

 the general supervision of Assistant Secretary Clarence Ousley, 

 in charge of all publication activities of the department. 



INDEXING SECTION. 



The work of the Indexing Section consists chiefly in the preparation 

 of detailed card indexes of department publications as issued. This 

 work was advanced and notably improved during the year. Indexes 

 for individual publications are also made to be prmted with the 

 publications. 



Under present methods, when Farmers' Bulletins and Department 

 Bulletins are indexed for the card index:es, duplicate cards are written. 

 These duplicates have proved so satisfactory for use in compiling 

 indexes for bound volumes that the indexes for bound volumes of 

 Farmers' Bulletins have been brought very nearly up to date, while 

 the indexes for bound volumes of the Department Bulletins are 

 being advanced. During the greater part of the year this work was 

 badly crippled for lack of copyists to make card copies of entries 

 for card indexes, but the copymg of cards is now moving forward 

 rapidly. 



