§ MR. RADCLIFFE COOKE (Hereford)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture what is the present circulation of the Board of Agriculture Journal; and, whether any, and, if so, what steps have been taken to bring the publication within reach of the classes specially interested in agriculture?
§ *MR. HERBERT GARDNERFor the reason stated by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade, in reply to a similar question with reference to the publications under his control, I am not in a position to give particulars of the present circulation of the Journal of the Board of Agriculture, but I may say that we are well satisfied with the results obtained up to the present, and that the circulation has considerably exceeded the estimate we originally made. We have taken steps, by the issue of special notices and advertisements, and the distribution of copies gratuitously, to make the Journal known to the classes interested, and in fixing the price so low as 6d. we hoped to bring it easily within their reach. I should be only too glad to consider any suggestions as to the means by which its utility could be increased.
MR. JAMES LOWTHER (Kent, Thanet)asked whether the right hon. Gentleman would lay on the Table a statement showing the financial position of the journal.
§ MR. HENNIKER HEATON (Canterbury)May I ask does the right hon. Gentleman decline to state the number of copies printed and sold?
§ *MR. GARDNERIt has never been the practice of the Department to do so.
§ MR. RADCLIFFE COOKEasked if the journal could be obtained on the railway bookstalls?
§ *MR. GARDNERI have endeavoured to bring that about, and am in communication with Messrs. Smith on the subject.