314 ANNUAL EEPORO^ OP DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



The number of titles prepared during the past year by the Li- 

 brary for printing by the Library of Congress in what is known as 

 the "Agr" series of catalogue cards was as follows: Cards for ac- 

 cessions and recatalogued books, 806; cards for department publi- 

 cations, 511; cards for foreign agricultural periodicals, 7; total, 

 1,324. The total number of titles prepared by this Library since 

 1902, in which year the printing of cards was begun, is 29,858. 



The amount of uncatalogued material on hand July 1, 1917, which 

 w-as an increase over the previous 3"ear, was as follows: 126 volumes, 

 150 pamphlets, 543 continuations, and 9 maj^s. The cataloguing was 

 hampered by the loss of two cataloguers and the necessity of em- 

 ploying temporary assistants. 



During the year some progress was made in reclassifying the books 

 in certain classes in accordance with the expanded classification. 

 About one-third of the books on forestry were done and part of 

 the books on general agriculture. 



PERIODICAL DIVISION. 



Lydia K. Wilkin s, Chief. 



The total number of different periodicals, exclusive of annuals 

 and serials of infrequent issue, received currently during the year 

 was 2,219, of w-hich 565 were received by purchase and 1,654 by gift. 

 The number of new periodicals- added during the year was 319, 

 whereas 380 of those on last year's list are no longer received, either 

 because they have ceased publication permanently or temporarily, 

 or because- the subscriptions for them have been discontinued. There 

 was a net decrease for the year of 61. In order to meet the demand 

 for certain periodicals it was necessary to purchase 186 duplicates, 

 making the total number of periodicals purchased 751, a decrease of 

 247 as compared with the number purchased during the previous 

 fiscal year. This decrease in the number of purchased periodicals 

 received during the year is due to the fact that since May, 1916, the 

 Library's agent for the foreign periodicals has been unable to deliver 

 German periodicals and also many periodicals of other countries. 

 Of the periodicals received by gift or exchange over 844 duplicates 

 were received, an increase of 273 as compared Avith the previous year. 



Although the number of different periodicals received during the 

 year was 61 less than the number received last year, yet the total 

 number of periodicals received, including duplicates, was 3,249, an 

 increase of 234 over last year. This increase is due to the fact that 

 more periodicals were purchased in duplicate this year and more 

 duplicates were received by gift and exchange. The duplicate copies 

 were necessary partly for the use of the offices which have moved to 

 buildings at a distance from the Library, and partly because of the 

 great increase in the use of commercial papers which must be received 

 promptly to be of value, so that many copies were needed for circu- 

 lation. Many periodicals which in previous years have been received 

 by gift and exchange it was necessary to purchase this year, since 

 the publishers discontinued sending complimentary copies. 



In addition to the 2,219 current periodicals appearing not less than 

 four times a year, the Library received 4,605 serials of less frequent 



