EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Vol. XII. No. 6. 



""A scientitic hit)lioorapliy is for facts what a dictionary is for 

 words." This is the estimate of M. E. Duclaux, director of the Pas- 

 teur Institute, in his introduction to the Bihllogi'ajihia lactarla of 

 Henri de Rothschild, which has just been issued. This is proba?jly 

 the most complete and s\'stematic bibliog-raphy of milk which has ever 

 been prepared. It contains 8,375 titles, arranged l)y subjects, with 

 the entries in chronological order under each subject; an author index 

 with reference to the papers by number, and a chronological list of 

 inventions of apparatus for handling and treating milk. 



The review of literature goes back to the beginning of the sixteenth 

 century, the oldest paper cited bearing the date of publication of 1500. 

 The American work is very fully represented, the references cited 

 indicating a surprising amount of research of American literature and 

 great familiarity with the sources of publication. 



The amount of labor involved in the preparation of such a bibliog- 

 raphy can scarcely be realized. Dr. de Rothschild has of course had 

 the aid of a corps of assistants, and enjoyed splendid library facilities. 

 His own private lil)rary is said to be the most complete in dairy litera- 

 ture to be found anywhere. The value of such a bibliography to the 

 investigator or the writer will be readily appreciated. It makes acces- 

 sible for all time the principal literature relating to the subject which 

 has been published during four centuries. The value of the under- 

 taking is enhanced by the expressed purpose of the author to issue an 

 annual supplement to this volume, covering the current literature. 



The preparation of ])il)liographies of su])jects related to agriculture 

 has received an increasing amount of attention in recent years. This 

 attention is well merited, for perhaps in no other line are the articles 

 more widely scattered. The collection of these papers in a systematic and 

 thorough manner adds very greatly to the facilities of the investigator 

 in agricultural science, and the use of such bibliographies becomes 

 more and more desirable as our research progresses. Appreciating the 

 importance of such ])ibliographical helps, the National Department of 

 Agriculture has of late issued a number of important contributions. 

 Among these the index to literature relating to animal industry, by 

 (t. F. Thompson, is especially noteworthy. This is an index to the 

 bulletins and reports issued by the Department of Agriculture from 



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