Appendix D 



I. HOW TO OBTAIN PUBLIC DOCUMENTS. 



Agricultural literature is of three kinds : — 



1. Elaborate reports, or similar documents, usually containing exhaustive 

 statements of facts, with statistical tables, diagrams, maps, and more or less 

 discussion. The preparation of such papers is very expensive, owing to the 

 great amount of valuable time employed, and the cost of the experiments or 

 surveys of which they give the results. Such papers are properly called 

 "authorities," because they contain the results of original research, properly 

 authenticated. They supply the facts upon which discussion proceeds. The 

 facts contained in these documents would never be collected at private expense, 

 nor would any publishing house undertake to print them. They are almost 

 exclusively government publications. Very valuable statistics are gathered by 

 leading trade organizations in regard to prices and crops. 



This most expensive of all literature can usually be had, postage free, for 

 the asking, provided the proper authorities are satisfied that good use will be 

 made of what is asked for. The editions, however, are usually limited. Such 

 books can usually be found in all large libraries. 



2. Brief monographs, usually called "bulletins" or "circulars," giving 

 the gist of existing information on a single topic, and usually intended for 

 popular reading. The most notable of these are the "Farmers' Bulletins," 

 published by the United States Government and the Bulletins of the Experi- 

 ment Stations. Nearly all such publications can be obtained free, although 

 some of those published by the United States are sold at cost. 



State publications are usually, and perhaps always, sent free, upon applica- 

 tion, to residents of the state. Where possible state officials will usually send 

 them to applicants residing in other states. To obtain state documents it is 

 only necessary to address the state "bureau," "commission," "board," or 

 "department," which issues them, stating what is desired. It is not necessary 

 to know the name of any official, although, when known, it may be used. 

 The address of these bodies is nearly always at the capital of the state. It is 

 the business of a good farmer to know, as to his own state, the proper titles of 

 the officers issuing publications, and to address them for any publication desired. 



Experiment Stations, although mainly supported by the United States, are 

 considered, in respect to publications, as state institutions. They are under no 

 legal obligation to send their publications outside the states in which they 

 are located, and a few of them are rather illiberal in that respect. For the 

 most part, however, the Experiment Stations send their publications to all 

 applicants, wherever located. All Experiment Stations, probably, keep lists of 

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