Pueblo chieftain., 1921-01-14
BY FREDERIC j. HAsK1N

Washington, D. C. Jan. li.-'This
may be agriculture. but | reckon III
stick TO farming remarked one farm
er on looking at a neat littlo Govern
ment monograph on the dangers of
dry rot, profusely illustrated with sta
tistical tables.
This happened some time ago
when the dryness S an agriculture
bulletin was proverbial. Science con-
scientiously poured the essence of its
best agricultural research into fault
lessly technical bulletins and forward
ed them to the farmer And the
farmer would glance at the unadorned
covers and life his eyebrows as to
say, 'Humph. what's science got to do
with hoeing potatoes?"
Up to a few years ago. this was the
pathetic situation which prevailed
Then the Government walked up TO
the fact that 1t had to make agricul-
tural science popular or its work
would go for nothing. And no sooner
had this conviction been officially es-
tablished than the farmers bulletin
began to change. until now II is cer-
tainly Il thing of beauty. and to any
body who can profit by its contents. II
ought TO be u JOY forever Scientific
facts are reduced to words of ono
syllable. Latin terms are practically
extinct. Pictures make the PROPOSE
ton unmisckably clear. And tho
whole is enclosed in an attractivciy
decorated cover.
In other words. science is getting Oft
its pedestal. And the farmer Is meet
ins 1t half way by giving up some OF
tho prejudices bequeathcd to him by
his fathers.
This is an important thing for the
country. The Department OF AEri-
culture is not like any other Govern
ment office. 1t docs not matter very
much whether tho people know the
detailed results OF the work OF the
War Department or of the Patent Of
flee. But tho work OF the Depart
men OF Agriculture is valuable only in
so FAR as the results are known 10 tho
people and put into practice.
We nave referred 10 the farmer
particularly as the object OF this oE-
ricultural research. but the Depart
ment Of Agriculture serves not only
the farmer but anybody who wants
to know about eNterminating moths
or ants, or how 20 can fruit, or TO ar
range a kitchen. plan flower garden.
or raise a canary, or make his diet
balance. or any OF tho hundred other
home questions that people from New
York to san Francisco bother over.
How bulletins Arc Made
Putting the results Of "A problem
solved TN a laboratory with scientific
methods and apparatus into read
able bulletin containing practical in
formation Is one OF the most difficult
phases OF tho departments work. Tho
usually writes tho bulletin. ono Of
the artists OF the bureau makes Illus
trauons. Then tho manuscript goes
to tho Division OF Publications and the
pictures go TO the Division OF Illus
tratious, for any editing that may be
necessary.
At the same time. a cover has TO be
designed. Tho decorative cover is one
OF the newest features OF the farmcrs'
bulletin. and one which is proving
valuable as u means OF awakening in
tercst. The artists of tho Division of
Illustrations are making good use OF
both psychology and advertising me-
thods. They figure that IL you pick
up leaflet marked "COmb-honcy
Production" and note that there is a
lot of printed information on the
cover and nothing else, ten TO one you
put down tho publication without ever
looking inside. Pick MP the same
leaflot with the same title, but instead
OF the supcrfluous explanatory re-
marks. "a picture Of a hive with bees
swarminE, and above that a picture of
a honey comb ready for the tstblc-so
realistically drawn that IT makes you
hungry. and. ton to one. even II you
are n dwollcr I'm Mat you will open
the bulletin TO find out whether you
could start Il bee fNm on the fire
escape.
This is ordinary advertising appeal.
But there are other problems of cover
designing more or less peculiar to the
farmers bulletin. For instance, artists
Of the department figure that tho
farmer is more readily convinced by
n photograph than by a drawing. So
photography Is largely used in putting
bee hives and other objects on bulletin
covers.
But the wary farmer who accepts
unauestioningly the photograph of a
fat. sleek herd of cows, and mistrusts
a drawing OF the same herd. does not
always reckon on the possibilities OF
tho camera and paint brush. Not that
the Government artists try to paint
the lily or add an extra inch of girth
TO a picture of a prize hog. Not at
all. But in some of the covers. only
the artist could tell wherc photo
graphy leaves off and drawing begins.
Realism, Necessary
sec the cover of this hog bulletin. -
explained ono Of tho artists '"rhis
bulletin deals with raising hogs in the