696 ANNU.\L REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



The office continued to supplement the Record by a bimonthly 

 review of progress in the more pnictioal linos of investigation at the 

 experiment stations in the Experiment Station Work series of 

 Farmers' Bulletins. 



The proceedings of the xVmerican Association of Farmers' Institute 

 Workers were prejjared and submitted for publication by the depart- 

 ment through the ollice. 



The office continued the publication of the card index of experi- 

 ment-station literature. The total number of cards of this index 

 distributed has now reached 31,400. The receipts from sales of the 

 index during the year were $250.77. 



WOBK FOE, THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION. 



The director of the office has continued to act as the general repre- 

 sentative of the department in matters relating to the examinations 

 held by the Civil Service Commission for technical and scientific 

 positions in the department. The number of papers received from 

 the Civil Service Commission recorded in the office and rated by 

 examiners in the department during the year was about 3,850, as 

 compared with about 2,720 reported last year. Besides the regular 

 examinations, 63 special examinations were held during the year, as 

 compared with 38 last year. 



INSULAR STATIONS. 



An eminently successful year has been reported by each of the 

 stations maintained by the office. A few changes in the personnel 

 of some of the stations have been made, but there has been little 

 interruption of the work. The policy adopted at the establishment 

 of the stations of working for the diversification of agriculture 

 remains unchanged. 



Through local funds, contributed for the purpose, there have been 

 several additions to the cooperative demonstration farms maintained 

 by some of the stations. It is expected on these farms to present 

 visual evidence of some of the more practical results of the stations* 

 work, while the more technical experiments are carried out on the 

 station proper. Some of the main features of the work of the differ- 

 ent stations are briefly described in the subjoined reports. 



All the stations are growing in the esteem and favor of the people 

 for whom they are maintained. This is shown by the rapidly increas- 

 ing growth in correspondence, in the demand for publications, and 

 in individual requests for advice, the readiness to engage in coopera- 

 tive work of all sorts, and the increasingly generous private and com- 

 munity contributions of funds. The scientific work of the stations 

 is attracting wide attention, their publications being noted in the 

 principal scientific review journals of the world, and in not a few 

 instances permission has been given for the republication of some of 

 the bulletins in foreign countries. 



The several bureaus and divisions of this department continue to 

 cooperate generously with the stations, supplying materials and in- 

 formation that are of great value and which the stations can not 

 readily obtain for themselves on account of their isolation. It is 

 desired to make proper acknowledgment here for this aid. 



