V
The card index of Experiment station litterature
U N IT E D S T A T E S D E P A R TM E N T O F A G R IC U L T U R E .
O F F I C E O F E X P E R IM E N T S T A T IO N S — C i r c u l a r 47 (R e v . )
A. C. T rue, Director.
It is the purpose of this circular to outline briefly the general plan of the subject
index of experiment station literature regularly issued in card form by this Office, and
to state the conditions governing the distribution and sale of the index.
The index at the present time covers only the publications of the agricultural expe riment
stations in the United States, Alaska, Hawaii and Porto-Rico. Of these publications
the index includes all regular, special, technical, and research bulletins and the
reports, but not such publications as circulars and press bulletins, except as these are
reprinted in the other publications mentioned. Publications of this Department and of State
boards or departments of agriculture are therefore not included. The index begins with
the publications of the stations for the year 1888, and is kept as nearly up to date as is
practicable.
The index comprises thirteen primary divisions, as follows: (1) General sciences,
(2) air and water, (3) soils, (4) fertilizers, (5) plants, (6 ) foods, (7) animals, (8 ) entomo logy,
(9) dairying, (10) technology, (11) agricultural engineering, (12) statistics, and (13)
mispellaneous. These subjects have been divided and subdivided only so far as se emed
necessary to facilitate reference to the individual entries of the index. Under general sciences
are placed only such entries as relate to the general principles of the various sciences
which lie at the foundation of experimental investigations in agriculture. Under statistics
are included the entries relating to the organization, equipment, and general operations of
the stations. The other primary divisions provide for the articles relating more directly
to the agricultural and economic investigations. The plan of the index permits the addition
of reference to any literature relating to agriculture, and also affords a wide opportunity
for the extension of the index by individual students for their own special purposes.
Each of the divisions, as a rule, contains entries for all the important articles on
the subject. In some cases, however, an article, especially of a popular nature, may deal
with several subjects and be indexed only under the most important phase of the work. As
an illustration of this point, an article dealing) with the use of pertilizers for field crops on
certain soils may appear under only one of the headings — Fertilizers, Field Crops, or Soils.
This has been necessary in order te keep the number of cards within reasonable limits.
Where the index, however, is used in its entirety, as planned, cross references lessen the
difficulty from this source.
The divisions and subdivisions are arranged on a decimal system and are plainly
indicated by the use of division cards of diffe»rent colors.
The index is printed on cards 2 by 5 inches in size. Each index card contains an
appropriate title, the author of the article, a reference to the publication in which it appeared
and to the Experiment Station Record in which an abstract of the article may be found,
and a condensed statement of its contents. At the upper right-hand corner of the card is
a number indicating under waht heading the card should be placed in the index. The order
in which the cards are printed is indicated at the lower left-hand corner. It is designed that
the cards schould be arranged in alphabetical and chronological order under the final subdivisions
of the index.
Gne copy of the index is sent without charge to each of the agricultural colleges and
experiment stations and to several of the State bords and commissions of agriculture.
Besides this free distribution, the Gffice is prepared, under authority of the law, to
furnish a limited number of complete sets of the index at the price of $ 2 per thousand
cards. For the division cards an additional charge of $ 1.25 is made. Sets of division cards
and 30,200 index cards, bringing the index up, approximately, to September 1, 1909, are
available, and one of these sets will be sent to any address upon r'eceipt of $ 61.65. Subscribers
are also informed when each successive lot of 1,000 cards is ready for distribution.
About 1,000 cards are required for the station publications issued each year. Gnly 270 copies
of the index are printed.
On account of the increasing demand for separate divisions of the index, arrangements have
been made for reprinting certain divisions or parts of divisions. This Office is therefore prepared
to furnish a limited number of divisions of the index at a price only sufficient to cover additional
cost of printing. Beginning January 1, 1910, the price will be increased to% 3 per thousand, with a
small additional charge for the colored division cards.
A key to the index, containing the system of classification, is sent on application.
Payments should be made in advance by United States money order in favor of. A.
Zappone, Disbursing Gfficer, but, like all other communications relating to the index, should
be forwarded in envelopes addressed to the Director of the Gffice of Experiment Stations.
Respectfully submitted.
E,;j :U
App ro v ed :
James W il so n ,
Secretary of Agriculture.
Washington, D. C., November 1, 1909.
A. C. T rue,
Director.
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