International Agricultural Institute. 



13 



There will be besides in the future, as in the past, mono- 

 graphs which will be prescribed by the Permanent Committee 

 as occasion arises. 



Such numerous and important works could not have been 

 contemplated without the aid of an excellent library and an 

 expert staff animated by enthusiasm for the work of the 

 Institute, and giving to it all its energy. 



Library. — It has been necessary to increase the sum 

 allotted to the Library from ,£1,000 to £1,600. The Govern- 

 ments send us a great many publications, for which the 

 Institute is very grateful; our bulletins are also exchanged 

 for many reviews, but this does not obviate the necessity for 

 a considerable expenditure in order to provide the Library 

 with all the most important books and periodicals dealing 

 with the subjects forming the work of the Institute. 



Among these latter must be specially mentioned the pub- 

 lications of the agricultural stations and laboratories and 

 those of the large co-operative societies and associations. 



At present, our collection of special reviews and periodicals 

 is one of the most important in the world. It numbers more 

 than 1,700 periodicals, and every day sees the arrival of fresh 

 ones, so that in a short time we shall be able to say that 

 there is no review of any importance in the whole world 

 dealing with agriculture missing from the library. We ask 

 the representatives of the Governments to aid us in attaining 

 our aim by sending us all their own periodicals, and by 

 advising us of all periodical agricultural publications w T hich 

 we do not get. 



The position of the Library at the time of the last Assembly 

 (nth December, 1909) and on 1st May, 191 1, was as follows : — 



I Itb Dec, 1909 — Registered Documents 9,840 Reviews and Journals 420 



rst May, 191 1— ,, 38,961 „ 1,715 



Increase 29,121 Increase L 2 95 



The mere possession of this large quantity of periodicals 

 would have but a very limited value unless the contents 

 were examined, and this work has been regularly done for 

 several months in our different Bureaux. The really impor- 

 tant articles are summarised ; and of these summaries the 

 principal are published in our Bulletins, or an account is 

 kept of them for our publications. 



