LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 



U. S. Department of Agriculture, 



Office of Experiment Stations, 



Washington, D. C, September 2, 1889. 

 Sir : In accordance with the acts of Congress and the directious of 

 the Secretary of Agriculture in conformity therewith, it is the duty of 

 this office not only to indicate lines of inquiry and furnish such advice 

 and assistance as will best promote the objects for which the agricult- 

 ural experiment stations are established, but also to " compare, edit, 

 and publish such results " of their work as may be deemed necessary. 

 There is a very general demand for brief accounts of the current work 

 of the experiment stations and kindred institutions in this country. 

 To make such a current record more serviceable it should be published 

 regularly and as promptly as practicable. 



I have the honor to transmit the first number of a publication en- 

 titled Experiment Station Record, which is an attempt in this direction. 

 Its principal contents are abstracts of bulletins and a list of publica- 

 tions of the experiment stations and of this Department received at 

 this officafrom January 1 to August 15 of this calendar year. 

 Respectfully, 



W. O. Atwater, 



Director. 

 Hon. J. M. Rusk, 



Secretary of Agriculture. 

 8466— No. 1 II IX 



