B. P. I.— 673. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE COMPREHENSIVE CATA- 

 LOGUE OF BOTANICAL LITERATURE IN THE 

 LIBRARIES OF WASHINGTON. 



INTRODUCTION. 



Two catalogues stand in the Bureau of Plant Industry library, 

 one designated the Plant-Industry Catalogue and the other the 

 Botany CatalogTie. To give some idea of the scope of the latter 

 and of the special features which it presents, in order that its use 

 by botanical workers may be still further increased and extended, 

 is the purpose of the present circular. 



The '' Botany Catalogue," as it is called for want of a better name, 

 has been developed under the supervision of Mr. Frederick V. Co- 

 ville and originated in an attempt, for which he was chiefly respon- 

 sible, to enlarge and coordinate the collections of botanical litera- 

 ture in the libraries of Washington. The nucleus of the present 

 catalogue Avas the botanical part of the catalogue of the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture library, to which it forms an extensive adjunct, 

 especially in regard to literature not included in the Department 

 collections. 



The examination of titles with reference to the cooperative 

 purchase of books among the different libraries necessitated some 

 kind of a check list shoAving Avhat books Avere already available and 

 where they Avere located. Starting as a mere author list, chiefly used 

 for the assistance of the Department library in cooperatiA^e book 

 buying, it came to be generally consulted by Avorkers in botanical 

 lines, and as it grew it became necessary to enlarge its scope in many 

 wajs and to develop a subject catalogue along Avith it. 



THE AUTHOR CATALOGUE. 



The author catalog*ue noAV consists of about 50,000 entries, includ- 

 ing botanical Avorks contained in the Librar}^ of Congress, the 

 libraries of the Department of Agriculture, National Museum, Smith- 

 sonian Institution, Geological SurA^ey, Surgeon General's Office, and 

 the private libraries of Dr. Edw^ard Lee Greene and Capt. John Don- 

 nell Smith. The latter library is at present in Baltimore, but it is 

 available to Avorkers in Washington and will eventually form a part 

 of the Smithsonian library. 



[Cir. 87] 3 



