VI FUNCTIONS OF MAJOR BRANCHES OF DEPT, OF AGRICULTURE 



LIBRARY 



The Dt'partiiu'iit Lil.niry, witli its bramh libraries in the various bureau, 

 contains aitproxiniatcly 200.000 volnmos on a.t,'riculturc* and tbo related sciences 

 and receives currently .'{..'UK) p<'ri(Mlicals. 



The dictionary card cataloj;ue of the main library, containing nior»» than a 

 half million cards, is a record of the Ihm.Iv resources of the whole department. 

 It is supjilemented by several exiensiv*' si)ecial indexes which are maintained 

 by the various bureau lil)raries. Tlnvse tofrt'ther form the most comprehensive 

 biblio^M-aphy of a^'riculture aiul the related sciences available in the United 

 Slates. 



Till' library lends its books for purposes of research to other libraries and 

 institutions thr(»u^'hout the country, esiK'cially lo the State agricultural colleges 

 and exi»eriment stations. It also furnishes bibliographical assistance and en- 

 deavors ill various other ways to serve as the national agricultural library. 



OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS 



The Office of lOxiK'riment Stations exercises supervision over the operatic^ns of 

 the State agricultural exiK'riment stations under Federal appropriations author- 

 ized by the Hatch, Adams, and Purnell Acts for research, and affords such 

 advice and assistance as will best promote the elliciency of these activities. It 

 also I'ollects and disseminates infonnation regarding similar institutions through- 

 out the world. The experiment stations of the Department of Agriculture in 

 Alaska. Hawaii, Porto Itico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands are also conducteil 

 under the general direction of this office. 



EXTENSION SERVICE 



This service cooperates with the Slate agricultural colleges in their plans and 

 expenditures for extension work in agriculture and home economics under the 

 Smith-Lever Act, and acts as an agency for coordinating the extension activities 

 of the .several bureaus of the department with similar work <-arried on by the 

 State iigricullural colleges. It conducts demonstrations on reclamation projects 

 to assist settlers in making a success of their farm enterprises. It also has 

 charge of the preparation, installation, and display of agricultural exhibits at 

 Stale, interstate, and international fairs and of tiie motion-picture activities of 

 the department. 



WEATHER BUREAU 



The Weather liureau has chirge of the forecasting of the weather; the 

 issue and display of weather forecast and storm, cold-wave, frost, and flood 

 warnings : the gauging and i-eporting of river stages ; the cijllection and trans- 

 mission of marine intelligence for the benefit of commerce and navigation; the 

 collection and furiiishing of meteorological information and forecasts, including 

 iipl)ei-air observations for the benefit of air navigation; the reporting of 

 temiierature and rainfall conditions for agricultural interests; and the taking 

 of such meteorological observations as may be necessary to determine an<l 

 record the climatic conditions of the United States. 



BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY 



The IJureau of Animal Industry is primarily concerned with the protection 

 and development of the livestock and meat industries of tlie United Stute.s. It 

 conducts scientific investigations of the causes, prevention, and treatment of 

 diseases of domestic animals; investigates the existence of communicable dis- 

 eases of such animals, and aids in their control or eradication; and carries on 

 investigations ami experiments in animal husbandry and in the feeding and 

 breeding of animals. It also is charged with the administration of tlie meat 

 inspection act, the animal (juarantine acts, the 2S-hoiir law, the diseased animal 

 tran.sportatitm acts, the virus-serum-toxin act. and the act relating to the 

 suiK-rvisioii of the business in interstate commerce of packers, public stockyard 

 markets, and commission men, traders, and otlier agencies operating in the 

 public stockyards markets of the United States. 



