OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. '^i? 



in the two volumes, by far the largest number in any year, and 1,716 

 in excess of the number in Volume XX. 



As time goes on, the value of the Record as a great re]:)ository of 

 information pertaining to agriculture, otherwise available only by 

 an extended examination of the enormous mass of literature which 

 has been published, continues to increase. The 22 volumes thus far 

 issued contain references to no fewer than 78,698 articles, besides 

 editorials, special articles, and notes. The experiment station reports 

 abstracted have alone numbered 914, the station bulletins and cir- 

 culars 7.401, and the publications of this Department 3.540. The 

 carefully prepared author and subject indexes to the individual 

 volumes and the general index to Volumes I to XII have jjreatlv 



■ *^ *■' 



enhanced the usefulness of the Record. A similar general index for 

 Volumes XIII to XX has been in preparation during the year. 



Several changes were made in the staff engaged in the preparation 

 of publications. Dr. L. "W. Fetzor, for several years assistant chemist 

 at the Maryland Station, assumed charge of the reviews of agricul- 

 tural chemistry and technology. ]Mr. J. O. Rankin and Mr. W. H. 

 Long were also added to the staff, the fomier in connection with 

 reviewing the literature in field crops and the latter with that in 

 plant pathology and bacteriology. 



An increase in Farmers' Bulletins was due to the fact that the 

 various lines of investigation carried on by the Office in nutrition, 

 irrigation, drainage, and agricultural education have now reached 

 a stage justifying wider popular presentation in the form of Farmers' 

 Bulletins. 



The Office continued as usual its review of progress in the more 

 practical lines of investigation at the experiment stations in the Ex- 



Eeriment Station Work series of Farmers' Bulletins published by the 

 •epartment at bimonthly intervals. 



Two annual reports were issued as in previous years, (1) the ad- 

 ministrative report of the Director, giving a summary of the work 

 of the Office during the year, for incorporation in the Annual Reports 

 of the Department, and (2) the larger annual report of the Office 

 specially authorized by Congress and containing the detailed reports 

 of the results of the annual inspection of the work and expenditures 

 of the state agricultural experiment stations, with reviews of progress 

 in agricultural research and education in the T'^nited States. 



The technical as well as the popular publications based on the 

 work of the Office in nutrition, irrigation, drainage, and agricultural 

 education increased somewhat during the year as a result of a marked 

 development of these lines of work. 



As iu previous years, the Dei:)artment ]^ublished through the Oftice 

 the proceedings of the Associations of American Agricultural Col- 

 leges and Experiment Stations and Farmers' Institute Workers, thus 

 contiiiuinjj: to recognize in this way the close relations which exist 

 between the Office and these associations. 



The publication of the card index of experiment station literature 

 was continued as in previous years. Eight hundred cards were sub- 

 mitted for publication during the year. The index is kept as nearly 

 up to date as has been found practicable. Some of the earlier cards, 

 of wiiich the sui)|)ly had been exhausted, were reprinted in small 

 editions to meet the demand for sets and separate divisions of the 



