PREFACE 



The period of three years, 1916, 1917 and 1918, of which this volume 

 marks the close, has been a significant one for agriculture and agriculturists. 

 The great war has perhaps stimulated wider interest in agrarian matters than 

 in any other subject. j 



The references included ■ in this cumulation form a permanent record 

 of the articles in a selected list of seventy-eight periodicals, including farm 

 papers and technical journals, the publications of agricultural experiment 

 stations, state and federal departments and boards, the reports of agricultural 

 and horticultural associations, and the extension bulletins of colleges and 

 universities. 



The Agricultural Index was started in January, 1916, at the earnest re- 

 quest of agricultural college librarians. The plan, as at first proposed, was 

 that of a periodical index, with the addition of the experiment station publi- 

 cations and the United States Department of Agriculture bulletins. It was 

 soon apparent, however, that the plan would have to be broadened to serve 

 other needs than those of the agricultural libraries. 



Business and technical libraries, college, county, and government libra- 

 ries, banks, schools, county agents, editors appear on the list of cooperators 

 or subscribers. The Index also goes to fourteen foreign countries, including 

 China and Russia. 



Because of the increased interest in the subject, the literature published 

 has been voluminous. The publications of the United States Food Adminis- 

 tration on food preparation and conservation, the statistics published by the 

 Food Administration and the United States Bureau of Labor and Statistics 

 in the Monthly Review on food supply and food control in the United States 

 and other countries, the Commerce reports, the publications issued by banks 

 and railroads, by fertilizer and farm machinery industries, these and many 

 other agencies have been contributing much literature of value to those 

 interested in agriculture in its many phases. 



It has been the aim of the Index to assemble references to the most 

 important of this material. Much of it is elusive, and cannot be found in 

 other indexes. Some of it is scattered in many different places. To gather 

 it together seemed to be the natural function of a special index. In pursuit 

 of this literature, other indexes, the Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature, 

 and the Supplement, the Industrial Arts Index, the Public Affairs Informa- 

 tion Service bulletin, general bibliographies, Library of Congress cards are 

 carefully checked. 



A checklist has been given in each number of the Index to enable the 

 user to secure this material. Since much of it is sent gratis, it is of special 

 value, particularly to the smaller libraries. In this cumulation a checklist is 

 given of the material entered during 1918. -— ^-^"^i^- 



