26 

 The next paper presented was as follows: 



THE CARD-INDEX SYSTEM FOR ENTOMOLOGICAL RECORDS. 



By E. DwiGHT Sanderson, College Station, Tex. 



At several previous meetings of this association descriptions of ento- 

 mological records have been given by Messrs. Forbes, Hopkins, Web- 

 ster, and Ball,'^' and their merits discussed. 



No one systcMii will probably ever be devised which will meet the 

 needs of all, but often by comparing methods we can secure sugges- 

 tions of value. In taking charge of the work in Texas I found that 

 a system of notes must be established, and proceeded to devise the 

 scheme outlined, based almost entirely on a similar system which I 

 had given three years' trial at the Delaware station. In looking over 

 the papers above mentioned I am struck with the fact that in very 

 many respects mj'- methods are the same as those of others, which is 

 somewhat of a recommendation. Though the following system is 

 original, therefore, still it has been the result of the study of the 

 strong and weak jioints of other records, and thus resembles them in 

 many essential respects. 



All of our records are kept in card drawers for o by 5 and 5 by 8 

 cards. The duplex punch and split guide rods are used. Several 

 different files are kept of these two sizes. A great part of our records 

 are of material received through the mails. Let us take an instance 

 and follow it through the records. 



CORRESPONDENCE RECORD (3 BY 5 CARDS). 



When a card is received it is at once stamped. The date of receipt 

 and answer is indicated. On the next line is indicated under what let- 

 ter or name it is to be placed in the letter file. I find this necessary 

 with the office help we have. The next four lines give spaces for indi- 

 cating the county, crops, literature sent, and subject of letter. These 

 lines refer t-o a card of the correspondence file. Every correspondent 

 is given one of these cards and they are arranged alphabetically, under 

 towns, according to the names of the correspondents, the towns under 

 counties and the counties alphabetically. Guide cards can be pur- 

 chased ready printed of the counties and leading towns. On this card 

 is given the name of the correspondent, town, and county. On the 

 next line is given the crops in which he is interested, as far as we can 

 learn. This is for using the file as a mailing list. In sending out a cir- 



«S. A. Forbes, Insect Life, Vol. II, p. 185, 1st meeting Assn. Econ. Ent. 

 A. D. Hopkins, Insect Life, Vol. VI, p. 103, 5th meeting As-sn. Econ. Ent. 

 F. M. Webster, Bui. 20, n. s., Div. Ent., p. 'iCt, Proc. 11th meeting Assn. Econ. 

 Ent. Also Bui. 114, Ohio Ag. Exp. Sta. 



E. D. Ball, Bui. ;U, n. s., Div. Ent.. p. HT, l:!th meeting Assn. Econ. Ent. 

 Also see Comstock's Insect Life. 



