12 Dieector's REroET of the, 



has been revised, resulting in taking off the names (not less than 

 2,000) of those who had died or changed their place of residence. 

 There has been a steady registering of new names, however. 

 This growth is normal and not forced, coming as it does almost 

 wholly from individuals who personally ask to receive the bulle- 

 tins of the station. 



the station libeaey. 



A good library is a most necessary part of an experiment sta- 

 tion equipment. Research can neither be entered upon safely 

 nor its results discussed intelligently unless the investigator has 

 access to the records of what has been learned previously con- 

 cerning the subjects under consideration. Access to current lit- 

 erature and particularly to the journals which are the organs of 

 research, is especially important in this connection. 



The library of this Station has developed rapidly during the 

 past two years, but it is still small and in some respects quite 

 insufficient for our needs. A fairly large number of journals is 

 received, but complete sets of them should be obtained as rapidly 

 as possible. The present number of bound volumes and pam- 

 phlets in the library is approximately five thousand. 



A list of the papers and journals obtained by subscription and 

 donated to us by exchange or otherwise is appended to this re- 

 port. 



THE STATION PUBLICATIONS. 



The public is not unnaturally inclined to measure the useful- 

 ness of an experiment station by the quantity of literature which 

 it publishes. If this standard is applied to the ITew York State 

 Station, the year 1899 will appear to be less profitable than 

 some which have preceded. As a matter of fact, however, 

 there probably has not been a period in the history of the Station 

 when so much hard study has been applied to so large a number 

 of problems as has been the case during the past twelve months. 



The number of pages of printed matter which a station issues 

 has no necessary relation to the actual magnitude of the effort of 



