EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Vol. XX. March. 1009. No. 8. 



"With the rapid extension and development of research agencies in 

 agricultural experimentation there has come about a remarkable- in- 

 crease in both the numl)er and the importance of the pul^lications to 

 be reviewed. Thus, during the last fiscal j^ear the scientific publica- 

 tions of the State experiment stations and this Department alone in- 

 creased 10 YX}v cent in number. It is believed that there has been a 

 corresponding increase in agricultural literature from other sources, 

 and in addition the adoption by the Office of methods whereby there 

 has been a more systematic examination of the foreign literature has 

 tended to bring to light a number of articles of value from obscure 

 sources not hitherto accessible. The abstracts of the literature have 

 thus rapidly accumulated, while at the same time various circum- 

 stances have operated to delay their publication. 



In order to provide for the publication of this accumulated material 

 it is pro[)osed to include in the current volume (XX) of the Record 

 two numbers composed almost wholly of abstracts. The present 

 number (No. 8) is the first of these abstract numbers. The second 

 will probably be issued about the close of the present fiscal year and 

 will constitute No. 12 of the current volume. This will terminate 

 the volume, thereby securing conformity with the fiscal year instead 



of closing with the August number as heretofore. 



701 



