266 ANNUAL EEPOETS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTURE. 



INDEXING. 



The work of the index section was somewhat enlarged during the 

 fiscal year. The preparation of fists of the department pubfications 

 on fines closely related to the subjects of books and manuscripts 

 about to go to the printer has been performed in that office. Some 

 compfiation work has been performed and a study of a classification 

 for the farmer of the department books has been begun. 



The caUs for references on farm topics made up from the indexes 

 have grown steadily in number, especially during the last haK of the 

 year, showing an increase in the usefulness of the system as it becomes 

 better known. There are three or four times as many caUs for such 

 references as were received a few years ago. The value of the work of 

 this office to the department would be largely increased if everyone 

 in the department who can use the indexes had in mind the fact that 

 such assistance could be promptly rendered. 



The daily reading and marking of the Congressional Record con- 

 sumed a considerable portion of every morning while Congress was 

 in session and occupied a large portion of the working time of this 

 office. In connection with the reading of the Record, the supplying 

 of pubfic documents (bOls, laws, etc.) to the different branches of 

 the department has demanded more attention as different bureaus 

 have from experience discovered that the work is performed here. 



The index kept in connection with the Congressional Record has 

 demonstrated its usefulness by supplying references in a few moments 

 that would have required hours of search if there had been no index. 



The preparation of index cards for current pubfications as they 

 appear has continued to be the main business of the indexers, and 

 during the year nearly 30,000 pages have been indexed, exclusive of 

 the indexing of the Congressional Record, of which pubfication 13,127 

 pages were indexed. Copies of these cards have been made as here- 

 tofore, in some cases five sets being required and in others only one. 

 The total number of index cards written during the year was 61,559. 

 The indexing of the department pubfications, such as yearbooks, 

 annual reports, etc., has gone on as usual and has occupied a con- 

 siderable portion of the time of the indexers. Also a number of 

 indexes for volumes of Farmers' BuUetins were made, an index for 

 the complete set of Crop Reporters has consumed much time and is 

 now almost complete, and a complete index of the first 500 Farmers' 

 Bulletins now awaits pubfication. 



A classification of the books of the department was undertaken by 

 the direction of the Assistant Secretary and considerable work has 

 been done upon it. It is expected that this classification, combined 

 with a classification of the publications of other departments of the 

 Govenunent, wfil soon be completed, arranged so that books in the 

 same general field will be found grouped together, and assembled 

 with regard to practical farming, so that the ordinary reader can 

 find readily what he wants. 



