Perhaps it's only powerful in the hands of the chosen few. If it's in the open and it looks powerful, then other people try it and see less than amazing success, and it looks less and less cool until it stops growing. But by then it's harder for the special few to recognize its value - or perhaps don't want to associate themselves with it - and potential is wasted.
If instead the details are kept secret but the powers known publicly, then the masters of the craft are taken seriously and can suck up all the promising individuals.
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