198 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



The next reference is found in the secretary's report for 

 1860, and reads thus : " The State Agricultural library, con- 

 nected with my office, has received many valuable accessions 

 during the past year, and is now one of the largest, if not 

 one of the best selected, agricultural libraries in the United 

 States. The collection of works on the honey-bee is believed 

 to be the best and most extensive in the country." 



Secretary Flint again refers to the library in his report for 

 1864, in the following language : " It is more generally used 

 for reference than ever before, especially during the sessions 

 of the Legislature, and it is important that some permanent 

 fund should be provided by which the new publications 

 should be procured as they appear." 



Again, in 1865, the secretary says that "the library con- 

 nected with the office of the secretary has gradually but con- 

 stantly grown, till it has become the best, with very few if 

 any exceptions, to be found in the country. It is of great 

 service to the public, more especially during the sessions of 

 the Legislature, when it is largely used for consultation and 

 reference." 



During the past thirty years the library has continued to 

 grow in size and quality, until at the present time it contains 

 2,700 bound volumes, many of them rare and valuable, cov- 

 ering a wide range of subject matter, as will be seen by 

 reference to the divisions as outlined in this report, and so 

 classified and arranged on the library shelves as to be of the 

 greatest service possible. 



In this portion of the report it is desired to call attention 

 to the following item, which for many years has been printed 

 in the Manual for the General Court: "A valuable agri- 

 cultural library, connected with the office of the secretary of 

 the Board of Agriculture, is also open at all hours of the day 

 for the use of the members of the Legislature." 



Classification of the LiBRARr. 



The library is separated into three divisions : I., publica- 

 tions of the United States Department of Agriculture ; II., 

 Experiment Station publications; III., general library. 



