IN 25 COUNTIES IN ARKANSAS, TEXAS, VERMONT, WISCONSIN, AND WASHINGTON, A STUDY WAS MADE OF THE USE OF CIVIL DEFENSE PUBLICATIONS BY THE PUBLIC, OF DISTRIBUTION PRACTICES OF COUNTY AGRICULTURAL AGENTS, AND OF THE ATTITUDES OF THE AGENTS THEMSELVES. THREE PUBLICATIONS FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND TWO FROM THE OFFICE OF CIVIL DEFENSE WERE CONSIDERED. ABOUT THREE-FOURTHS OF RECIPIENTS (A FOURTH OF THE TOTAL) FOUND THE PUBLICATIONS USEFUL, BUT MAINLY FOR GENERAL INFORMATION. WOMEN MORE THAN MEN, NONFARM MORE THAN FARM DWELLERS, AND THOSE WITH ABOVE AVERAGE EDUCATION, WERE LIKELY TO READ THE PUBLICATIONS. EXTENSION OFFICES DISTRIBUTED ACTIVELY, MAINLY AT MEETINGS OR BY MAIL. ALMOST ALL THE COUNTY AGENTS SURVEYED WERE IN FAVOR OF PARTICIPATING IN CIVIL DEFENSE EDUCATIONAL WORK. HOWEVER, THEY TENDED TO JUDGE THE PEOPLE'S RESPONSE AS EITHER SPORADIC OR WEAK, AND MOST INDICATED ONLY SLIGHT PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT. FINDINGS SUGGESTED THAT SOLICITED AND UNSOLICITED PUBLICATIONS WOULD PROVE EQUALLY USEFUL, AND THAT THE MAIN EFFORT SHOULD BE TO GET PUBLICATIONS TO THE PEOPLE, REGARDLESS OF METHOD. (THE DOCUMENT INCLUDES SAMPLING METHODOLOGY, QUESTIONNAIRES, AND 28 TABLES.) (LY)