REPORT OF THE LIBRARIAlT. 



U. S. Department of Agriculture, 



Office of the Librarian, 

 Washington, D. C, July 30, 1900. 



Sir : I have the honor to submit the following statement in response 

 to your order of July 2, 1900, calling for my executive report for the 

 fiscal year ending June 30, 1000. 



Respectfully, W. P. Cutter, 



Librarian. 

 Hon. James Wilson, Secretary. 



WORK OF THE YEAR. 



ADDITIONS TO THE LIBRARY. 



The additions to the Library during the present year have num- 

 bered about 4,000 volumes, including some rare works and scarce sets 

 of periodicals. Among the latter, especial attention is called to the 

 addition of complete sets of the ' ' Revue Horticole," the leading French 

 horticultural journal, and of "Gartenflora," the leading German 

 horticultural journal. There have also been added by purchase the 

 large work of Ramon de la Sagra, " Historia fisica, politica y natural 

 de la Isla de Cuba," in thirteen folio volumes, and the folio edition 

 of Blanco's "Flora de Filipinas," in six volumes. As the result of a 

 trip made by the Librarian under your authority to the principal 

 European countries, sets were obtained of the publications of the great 

 academies of Stockholm, Berlin, and Copenhagen, and complete sets 

 of the publications of numerous societies and Government institu- 

 tions, including a complete set of the Journal de la Societe Nationale 

 d'llorticulture de France. Arrangements were made at the same time 

 for future purchases of books, and in this way there have been added to 

 the Department Library many valuable volumes and sets of period- 

 icals, including a complete set of the Bulletin de la Societe Philo- 

 matique de Paris. 



exchange of PUBLICATIONS. 



Much progress has been made in arrangements for exchange of our 

 publications for those of other institutions, some of which are noted 

 above. In visiting foreign libraries, I found that in many instances 

 great value was attached to the ]3ublications of this Department, and 

 all were anxious to perfect arrangements for exchange, and to obtain 

 as complete sets of the Department publications as possible. I would 

 call especial attention to the interest shown in these matters by scien- 

 tific men abroad, as furnishing gratifying testimony to the value of 

 the scientific work of the Department, as reported in its publications. 

 In this connection, I can not too strongly urge the recommendation 

 made in my report of last year, that the publications of the Depart- 

 ment be divided into fewer series; at present, much of the valuable 

 work is lost to the general public and even to the smaller body of 



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