184 DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS. 



to the l)ibliograph5^ of tlie nutrition of man and animals. That por- 

 tion of this bibliograph}^ which relates to bread and closely allied 

 toi)ics is being j)ut in shape for j)ublication. A bibliography of irri- 

 gation, which has been in course of prei^aration for some time, is now 

 Hearing completion. It is exijected that these bibliographies will be 

 published as documents of the Department Librar3^ 



The collection and cataloguing of the publications of the agricul- 

 tural colleges and experiment stations in this and other countries was 

 continued during the past year as heretofore. The publications of 

 our stations were received with unusual regularity. This is believed 

 to be due to the more general use of the mailing list distributed to the 

 stations by this Office. The number of foreign publications of all 

 kinds received as exchanges has materiallj^ increased. Many dupli- 

 cates of station and other publications were received, a considerable 

 number of which were distributed to college and station libraries and 

 officers. The attention of the editors of the Record was also called to 

 0,075 numbers of 347 different periodicals received in the Department 

 Library. The proper handling and care of the collections of periodi- 

 cals and station documents required in the work of the Office has 

 become a matter involving much patient labor and skill, and the fact 

 that their custodian, Mr. G. A. Harlow, is able to report that all these 

 documents can be accounted for, reflects great credit on his faithful- 

 ness. In this, and all other work relating to library matters, the Office 

 ■continues to enjoy the cordial cooj^eration of the Librarian of the 

 Department and his assistants. 



Work for the Civil Service Commission. 



The Director of this Office has continued to act as the general rep- 

 resentative of the Department in matters relating to examinations 

 held by the Civil Service Commission for technical and scientific posi- 

 tions in the Department. Besides the general examination for assist- 

 ants, in the preparing and rating of questions for which all the Divisions 

 of the Department shared, thirteen special examinations Avere held 

 during the year. The number of papers received from the Commis- 

 sion, recorded in this Office, and rated by examiners in the Department 

 during the year was 250. The register for "scientific aids," confined 

 to graduates of the land-grant colleges, which was established near 

 the close of the previous fiscal year has proved to be a useful one. A 

 number of appointments have been made from it, and now that Con- 

 gress has approved the policy of employing such graduates in this 

 manner, it is hoped that the way may be opened to increase the num- 

 ber of such emijloj'ees in the Department. By this means certain 

 kinds of service are satisfactorily obtained b}^ the Department at A^ery 

 loAV cost, and at the same time j'oung persons are being trained for 

 high-grade services along the lines of agricultural science who will 

 ultimately find their proper places in the public service of the States 

 and Territories. 



As the ' ' scientific aids " take the places to a considerable extent 

 which it was originallj' intended to fill from the register of " assist- 

 ants," it is doubtful whether that register should be continued. In 

 case this is discontinued, an effort should be made to substitute some 

 system of examinations which will more thoroughly meet the special 

 requirements of different Divisions and at the same time avoid the 

 holding of numerous special examinations at ii'regular intervals dur- 

 ing the year. 



