278 RURAL SOCIOLOGY 



quality of the books produced. The new book that will remain 

 authentic for a decade is the exception, yet there are many books 

 now near the end of their second decade of popularity that con- 

 tinue to meet with a large demand. The character of the new 

 works on agriculture is on the whole entirely helpful, since a 

 new type of literature which is both interesting and instructive 

 is certain to be evolved through the experience of the publishers. 



To pass to the social significance of this literature, its im- 

 provement in quality and its increase in distribution and in 

 influence are due to the appearance of a generation that is pre- 

 pared to be benefited by it. As soon as men are trained to put 

 human experience in rural affairs into forceful, convincing writ- 

 ing, the reader will be able to secure more material aid from 

 such writings. The facility with which reliable matter may be 

 secured is the greatest point in favor of its development. We 

 receive our new agricultural thoughts in our daily press along 

 with the news of progress in other industries. The organiza- 

 tion of press bureaus within the last few weeks by the agricul- 

 tural colleges, state experiment stations, boards of agriculture and 

 federal organizations is an important advance step in this direc- 

 tion. Few items of particular significance in agriculture now 

 escape the daily press, and whereas such news w r as previously 

 written in a form designed to be of general interest, it is now 

 prepared by a special writer often trained in agriculture, so 

 that it is both interesting and accurate. 



Plans are in operation in several state experiment stations to 

 send regularly to the local newspapers carefully prepared mat- 

 ter designed to meet local needs. This newspaper matter on 

 agriculture is closely followed by the dissemination of clearly 

 written and attractive circulars and bulletins dealing with spe- 

 cial topics. These appear either as reading courses or as separate 

 publications just as the subjects are timely. Bulletins of this 

 character are now being issued regularly by a large number of 

 the leading experiment stations and boards of agriculture, and 

 are being distributed through the mails, at farmers' meetings, 

 banks, etc., until the numbers that are actually placed in the 

 hands of working farmers aggregate millions of copies each year. 

 The printed proceedings of state and local associations of stock- 

 men, horticulturists, grain-growers, etc., are distributed to mem- 



