•90 JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY [Vol. 7 



within any of the other classifications. Contrary to what one would 

 €xpect, the number of letters falling in this group is verj^ small and 

 most of them do not relate to entomological matters at all. 



At the time the filing boxes are labeled notation of the date is made 

 upon the back of the box. In addition to the subject labels on their 

 backs, the filing boxes are also numbered. These numbers are con- 

 secutive for the files of the active group, but are independent of the 

 subjects. 



When any filing box becomes filled it is taken bodily from the active 

 group and placed in the "transferred group," notation being made 

 of this date upon the back of the file. Its place is taken in the active 

 group by a new filing box, labeled with the same subject-label and 

 with the number next succeeding the highest mimber already in use. 

 At the same time the number of the new filing box is placed on the full 

 box just transferred, the figure being written in ink just below the 

 number already on the transferred box. In a similar manner, the 

 number of the transferred box is placed on the new box, but above 

 the number already on the latter. In the transferred group (Plate 

 6) the boxes are arranged according to subject. Thus the correspond- 

 ence upon each subject is brought together for permanent preservation, 

 and a glance at the numbers upon the back of any filing box shows 

 what box immediately precedes it in the same subject and what one 

 succeeds it. Thus a glance at filing box No. 537, in "Foul Brood," 

 shows that the preceding box in this subject is No. 534 and the suc- 

 ceeding one No. 545. The inclusive dates upon the back of each 

 filing box show the period covered by the correspondence therein. 



At the time letters are written, the subject file and number are 

 placed at the top of the letter but for brevity convenient abbreviations 

 are used, such as "C. I." for "Cotton Insects" "F. & T." for "Fruit 

 and Truck Insects," etc. 



When filing, the clerk first sorts the correspondence to subject, 

 then files the letters alphabetically in the corresponding pasteboard 

 filing box. 



Briefly stated, the advantages of this filing method are: 



No index cards' to prepare or file. 



No folders to label or file. 



No wood or metal filing cabinets required. 



No transferring except the movement of the filing box from the 

 active to the transferred file and the labeling of a new box to take its 

 place. 



Any subject may be discontinued or new subjects added, as may be 

 desired, without interfering in any way with the operation of the 

 system. 



