REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 95 



Upon the basis of the purchasing power of the vahie of 1 acre of 

 produce, the year 1901) stands as the most prosperous of recent years 

 and apparently the most prosperous for farmers in the past 50 years 

 for which there are records. 



LIBRARY. 



The growth of the library during the past year has exceeded that 

 of any previous year. The total recorded number of books, pam- 

 phlets, and maps in the library on July 1, 1912, Avas 122,043. The 

 total number of books and current numbers of periodicals borrowed 

 from the main library and the libraries located in the bureaus and 

 divisions exceeded 180,000. The number of books lent to libraries 

 and scientists outside of the city of Washington was G20. The books 

 borrowed from other libraries for the use of this department num- 

 bered G,40o, the majority of which were from the Library of Con- 

 gress and the library of the Surgeon General's Office. 



The total accessions for the year were 9,122, of which number 5,243 

 were received by gift and exchange. The large number of acces- 

 sions by gift is especially gratifying, but it is a matter of regret that 

 the funds available for the purchase of books and subscriptions did 

 not permit of larger accessions by purchase. 



As the national agricultural library, connected with the national 

 institution for agricultural research, it has been the aim of this 

 Jibrary to extend its services as far as possible to the investigators 

 in agricultural science throughout the country. The land-grant 

 colleges and experiment stations, though State institutions, are sup- 

 plied in part by funds given by the National Government to the 

 States to be used for their maintenance, and they have certain definite 

 relations with the different branches of the National Government. 

 Their relations with the Department of Agriculture are closer than 

 with any other department of the Federal Government, and it is felt 

 that they have, therefore, a just claim to a share in the services of 

 the library of the department. This service the library has endeav- 

 ored to render to the agricultural colleges and experiment stations 

 through the printing of cards for department publications and for 

 the accessions to the library, through the loan of its books, and by the 

 distribution to them of its duplicates. It has also attempted in a 

 limited way to supply bibliographical information in regard to the 

 literature of agriculture. 



OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 

 RELATIONS WITH AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



The progress of the experiment stations during the past year con- 

 tinued along the same general lines in which advancement was noted 

 the year before. A general increase in equipment, growth in the 



