THE LIBRARY. 813 



the exact size of the agricultural collection in 1862, when the books in 

 the agricultural tliA^sion of the Patent Office were transferred to the 

 new Department of Agriculture, but it was probably small, as no 

 separate room was set aside for the Library until 1868, when, with the 

 otner offices of the department, it was moved to the newly completed 

 building for the department. It occupied at that time the western 

 end of the first floor of the building, now occupied by the Disbursing 

 Office. It was furnished with mahogany book cases, some of which 

 are still in use in the Library. No separate report on the Library is 

 ^iven in the report of the Commissioner of Agriculture for 1868, but 

 it contains considerable material of library and bibUographical 

 interest. In a chapter devoted to "Foreign exchanges" appears 

 the following : 



This department recently entered upon a system of exchange with foreign govern- 

 ments, societies, and individuals. Brief as has been the period since this s>-stem was 

 inaugxirated, it has been attended with gratifying results * * * Already the in- 

 crease of the Library by this means has been considerable. Valuable books and 

 Periodicals, English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Danish, and Swedish, have 

 een added in exchange for our own publications. 



The report also contains a chapter devoted to reviews of "Recent 

 agricultural books," a very considerable list of "American works on 

 agricultural and rural economy," and a list of "Agricultural and 

 horticultural periodicals." How many of these books and periodicals 

 were contained in the library at that time is not stated. 



The first separate appropriation for the Library was made on 

 July 12, 1870, and amounted to $1,000, exclusive of salaries. Appro- 

 priations for the Library were made annually thereafter and ranged 

 from $1,000 to $3,000 for the fiscal year 1894, exclusive of salaries. 

 In the fiscal year 1895 the appropriation for books, periodicals, and 

 the general expenses of the Library, exclusive of salaries, was in- 

 creased from $3,000 to $6,000. Since that time it has been steadily 

 increased, the appropriation for the present fiscal year being $15,500 

 for books, periodicals, and the general expenses of the Library, and 

 $25,080 for salaries. 



The Library of the Department was first officially recognized by 

 the appointment of J. B. Russell as Librarian in 1871.* Previous 

 to that time Dr. Eldridgc and later Mr. C. R. Dodge devoted a 

 considerable part of their time to the Library, but were not spe- 

 cifically appointed as librarians, as they had other duties to per- 

 form. Mr. Russell served as librarian from 1871 to October 30, 1877. 

 The terms of succeeding librarians have been as follows; Mrs. Ernes- 

 tine H. Stevens, Librarian, November 1, 1877, to August 27, 1893; 

 Mr. Wm. Parker Cutter, Lil)rarian, August 28, 1893, to December 31, 

 1900; Miss Josephine A. Clark, Librarian, January 1, 1901, to June 30, 

 1907; Miss Clanbel R. Barnett, Librarian, July 1, 1907, to date. 



Until 1887 the Library contmued to occupy the room into which 

 it was moved in 1868. In the Report of the Commissioner of Agri- 

 culture (Norman J. Colman) for 1887 is found the following: 



Every year since the establishment of the Department Congress haa annually 

 appropriated money for the maintenance of thg library, for the completion of series, 

 and for the purchai^t! of scientific and other works, and yet the spare for the storage 

 of this vast and valuable collection remains the same as it was 20 years ago. A 



iBee " Historical Sketch of the Department of Agriculture," by C. II. GrciUliousc, p. 54. 



