davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-06-25

the working of some part of the COM
plicated machinery of the department
I'VE have approximately $4,000 books
in this library. with an increase of about
5000 a year. We take 1900 periodicals,
about two-thirds of these being gifts
and exchanges. and one-third acquired
by purchase. This current literature is
a very valuable feature of the library,
as it gives the last word in official
agricultural publications from almost
every civilized country. This phase Of
the work. of course, entails very
large correspondence.
1T might be of interest to know
that we have the largest collection OF
horticultural trade catalogues in this
country. Very few institutions would
place much value on such literature,
but we find them very interesting as
tracing the introduction and history
of many plants. We have about 10000
of these catalogues. and the collection
includes Photographic copy of what
is probab bly, the first catalogue of its
kind ever published. There are many
rare and valuable books in our collec-
tion which could not be duplicated IL
lost or destroyed.
Few people have any idea of the
Importance of the department libraries
in the government service. Mr.. Put
nam, librarian of Congress- once said
that the Library of Congress. with the
group of other libraries maintained by
the national government. may be re-
garded a the National Library.
This cooperation presents one OF
the great lessons of coordination in
the work of the federal service. In this
interlibrary cooperation there is no
competition; only the reciprocal inter-
change of courtesies all along the line,
and complete union, based upon a de-
sire to serve the people in the fullest
degree"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-06-25
Selfish Age.

MARY WILKINS FREEMAN. the
4V0 novelist. was condemning mer-
cenary marriages at a Brooklyn tea
It's a great mistake" she said, ito
talk about preparing to be an old mans
darling rather than a young mans
slave. Age is not more generous than
youth. 1t is. on the contrary, crueler
and more selfish.
The poor girl who dreams of being
some rich and generous old mans
darling should remember the story of
the dying pasta.
"A pasha lay dying. He summoned the
youngest and fairest of his forty-six
wives. and said to her in a low, weak
voice:
Put on your richest costume and
your most brilliant jewels. and deck
your hair with pearls The young wife
blushed. Even in her grief she was
fattered.
And why, my lord she said. do you
desire me to make this sumptuous
toilet?
$50 that death. when he comes the
pasha answered, seeing YOU SO vecy
beautiful. may perhaps carry you OF
instead of me-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-06-25
ASSISTANT RENOV1Nc CupEls TRoM
FUFYLE. lR.ATEDb lOOODEGREES
GNTIGRADE.

this time is a ten or twenty dollar
gold piece: and the gold and alloy are
so evenly mixed that it is not necessary
to cut off more than tenth of an eagle
for assay. This piece. when cut of. is
run between ordinary cold steel roll
crs until it is formed into thin strips.
Portions of pure silver: weighing
each a gram. are prepared. ana thln
pieces Of fine sheet lead are cut into
pieces little less than an inch square
and weighing four grams.
An assistant places on the scales a
portion of gold and adds to or takes
away from it until there is, within
few tenths of milligram, a half a
gram of gold. He deity forms from
the lead little horn, or cornucopia.
into which he places the gold and adds
the gram of silver. The package is
placed in the proper place in little
trav along with nine others just like it
and two packages a little different.
OF course he has kept an exact rec
ord of the weight of the gold in each
package. The two packages differ
from the other Yen in that they contain
pure gold instead of coin gold. and are
used as CHECKS in the process to
follow.
You must not touch it, said Mr..
Dewey, as he exhibited ribbon made
of the pure gold. for it must be pre-
served perfectly free. 1t is the stand
ard and takes the tests along with the
bullion of the coinage. If it does not
come out the same s when 1t entered
the muffie or oven, something is
wrong and the regular assays must
be corrected"
When the carrier was filled with the
packages it was taken to the mufne,
which was heated to white heat.
about 1000 centigrade. Within the
muffie were ten little bone ash cupeis'
shaped something like the cups IN d
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-06-25

west. 1t is a light, pleasant. we'll fur
rished Office. with all appointments har-
blended and made attractive
by growing plants and cut flowers.
Miss Barnett invited her visitor to
roam at will through the series of
rooms forming the library, to gain an
individual impression.
by visible evidence IS well as by
Invisible proof one realizes that per-
,h!rty-three assistants who. with the
librarian, make the wheels run upon
smooth and noiseiess tracks In this
Important branch OF the service
Al the rooms In this book domain
have an air of fitness to purpose con-
venience and order; an admirable Esprit
de corps manifests itself. and work
quietly and effectively performed IL
the impression one gains of the es-
adjustment. Miss Barnett has way
OF inspiring her co-workers which is
fruitful! in ample and efficient results.
The reference room is one of the
most interesting in the library. its
center filled with the cases of cards
which tell the whole story of each
book available for use. This great key
to the library fits its lock perfectly.
IL is never lost and there is rarely any
trouble In its turning.
The extensive card catalogue of the
library of the Department of Agricul-
ture is not alone catalogue Of books
contained upon the shelves of the IL
brary proper. but is to some extent a
photography of the literature and the
allied sciences. since it contains cards
for books of interest to the department
which are in the Library of Congress
and other libraries.
III, therefore. a book is not contained
in this main library its whereabouts Ia
frequently known, and through the
fnterlbrary loan system which prevails
between this and other libraries II Is
usually available to the reader. The
scientific workers in the department
when they know definitely the special
books wanted for consultation. need
not necessarily call for them In person
The telephone and the messenger serv-
ice are the media by which books are
ordered and brought to them. and both
are In constant use.
The work Of the librarian Is spien-
did!y compiemented by that of the as
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-06-25

I'VE lent last year to agricultural
colleges and other institutions outside
of Washington many books. inter-
library loans have had great increase
in libraries in general throughout the
country, and every wide awake library
today is finding out what is available
in other libraries. All the libraries in
Washington cooperate in this work to
the incalculable benefit of ALL
1.-The wagon of the Library of Con-
gress calls here every day TO deliver
books which have been ordered and to
take back those which have been used.
From this one library alone our aver
age reauisition is fifteen books a day.
Needless to say the library is ex-
tensively used in the preparation of the
bulletins which go to the farmers. The
preparation of statistical bulletins, es-
pecially those which refer to the crops
and markets of other countries, would
be almost impossible without access to
the literature relating to those coun-
tries The identification of useful
plant ard animal diseases. depends
largely upon the examination and study
of the printed observations of other
workers.
The library may be said to have
been reorganized in 1898. when Mr.. w.
p Cutter, now librarian of the Engi-
neering Societys library in New York.
was appointed librarian. To him is
due the credit of inaugurating the
printed cards for the publications of
the Department of Agriculture. His
successor. Miss Josephine A. Clark, in
stituted the cooperative arrangement
whereby the Library of Congress prints
the cards for the accessions to our
efficiency, which has since then been
taken up by many other government
libraries.
while the head of the main library
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-06-25

Kinley memorial in Ohio This is
very beautiful coin. portraying the head
of the former President and the memo
rial building at Niles. Ohio, his birth
place.
These will be sold as souvenirs at
premium for the benefit of the associa-
ton erecting the building. Gold dol
lars being of small value and not n
many years, but eventually most Of
them viii come back.
The President designates annually a
commission to examine and test the
weight and fineness of coins which the
law requires to be reserved from the
output each year for this purpose.
Last year william a. Ashbrook.
ranking member Of the House commit
tee on coinage, weights and measures.
was made chairman Of this committed
which counted and examined the re
served coins and had them weighed
and aSsayed They We're found to he
correct in numbers and of the legal
weight and tinenesS.
The committee tested the weights
and balances, comparing them with
sets adjusted by the bureau OF stand
ards and the greatest difference found
was on a weight of 500 ounces and il
was only fcUrteen-ten thousandths of
ounce.
This is the formal commission which
passes upon the integrity of the coin
age. but for an everyday working
check samples must be sent to the di-
rector of the mint for examination in
the laborat ory of the Treasury Depart
ment, in Washington.
Frederic +. Dewey is in charge of
this laboratory. He is a sort of adj
wiser in scientific matters to the di-
rector. and passes upon such questions
arising from the several mints. He is
charged with the supervision of United
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-06-25

= x
Under the rules of the bureau, each
of the coinage minis submits sam
pies from three deliveries of coins of
each denomination week, if so many
are run. Two specimens selected I'M
Ger certain rules from each run are
sent to him at the Treasury Depart
ment for inspection and test. They ire
examined critically for any defects in
color. execution, weight and chemical
qualities.
The eye is a sufficiently good iustru
ment to determine the eYenness of color,
but maguifying glasses are required
to examine the impression and gauges
to test the shape Scales, or balances,
that ordinarily would he considered
very delicate are used to measure the
weights of the coins: but they might
be called heavy scales as compared
with the balances used in weighing
up the assay samples. which are so fine
that they viii detect the millionth part
of gram.
These physical processes. although
requiring care and excCt knowledge of
the laws and care. are very simple, but
to determine the fneness or the exact
amount of pure gold in each coin re-
quires and is worthy of "A more extend
ed description.
The law provides that the coin metal
shall be 900 fine: that is. 900 parts in
the 1000 shall be pure gold. the other
parts shall be copper, or copper with
silver not to exceed ten parts.
The thin2 which has TO be done is to
remove the alloy and determine wheth-
er the gold which is left represents 900
parts within the limit of tolerance.
which is one -thousandth above or be-
low.
The coin most usually under test at
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-06-25

sistant librarian. Miss Emma b. Hawke,
whose desk is in the reference room,
conveniently near the card catalogue.
Beyond the reference room is the main
reading room, where the student who
is ma king a prolonged study of sub
1ect may read at length and in greater
quiet than is afforded by the reference
room Here. too, is kept a collection of
rare and valuable editions. whose an
cient type and crude illustrations. vel
lum and leather bound sides and brass
hinges the delight of the book
lover.
While upon the subject of old vol
uHeS 1T may well be mentioned that
there is kept under lock and key in
the basement of the library large
collection of rare and valua BILE old
folios upon agriculture, botany and
other sciences, many of them with
ha nd colored plates.
The periodical division of the library
is an important one, and it's room has
especial features of interest. The 1000.
more or less periodicals in this room
are so classified that the reader may
come and pick and choose at VIII
among the shelves. although they are
so listed that an inquiry to the assist
ant in charge will enable him to- i'm
mediately place his hand upon a de-
sired magazine. The current numbers
OF periodicals are widely circulated
among the scientists, some of them
going to as many as twenty different
Offices.
II Is the aim of the library to con-
tain the important. especially the Of
fetal. agricultural publications of every
civilized country. Even Chinese and
Japanese agricultural books and peri
odicals can be found here: 1t Is not
generally known that the Japanese
have $50 agricultural experiment sta
tons in their own country. which have
yielded splendid results.
The influence of the library of the
Department of Agriculture on the gen.
eraI welfare of the farming community
may at first glance seem slight, yet
upon careful investigation 1t becomes
evident that this influence. although in
direct is great. The value of books to
the farmer is becoming more and more
evident. II is obviously impossible for
the great army of farmers throughout
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-06-25

box of water color paints, and one of
the packages was placed in each of
these holders.
It is unnecessary, perhaps. to say
that each piece was deposited in GER
tain order so that it would be identified
when removed and its content be COM
pared with its recorded weight,
What takes place within the retort is
the fusing of everything in the cupel.
where the lead takes ali the copper
from the gold and the two are absorb
ed by the bone ash cupel, leaving the
silver with the gold.
During the fusing process one may
have a peep within the muff1e as the
copper and lead are passing away. and
see in the bottom of each tiny basin an
oval mass glowing with all the colors
of an opal. Care is taken to keep an
even temperature in the muftle lest the
molten gold freeze" or solidify in the
process.
When ali the lead and copper are re-
moved there remains a beautiful little
pellet of gold and silver, and if all the
silver he taken away nothing VIII
remain but pure gold
Nitric acid. which does not appre-
ciably attack gold or platinum. is
dissolvent of silver. and. therefore, the
pellet pressed now into a narrow rib
bon and done up in a tiny roll like a
carpet, is dropped into platinum cup
filled with nitric acid. The silver is
dissolved and collected Ofor nothing
must be los) and there remains in
each cup a tiny roll of pure gold
weighing something less than half a
gram Cts original weight less the al
loy).
1t is weighed on the delicate scale
and the result compared with its
weight before the addition of the sill
yer. 1t will be 900-10o0 of the former
weight if the coin was of the exact
fineness. 1t usually varies slightly
from this and the average of two test
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-06-25

A delicate appliance to detect a weight
variation. vet the complicated and ex-
pensiye scales tthey cost $4,000 apiece)
will weigh many coins. according to
eject every blank which is out OF
weight.
With the large amount of gold coins
on hand and the enormous qua of
bullion offered at the mints in 1915, ii
was found eXpedient to seek an amend
ment of the law, which provided that
one-third of the gold certificates might
he secured by the deposit of bars and
the other two-thirds must represent
the actual coin in the Treasury
Congress, acting upon the recommen
da ton of the Secretary, has pending
bill TO change this so that two-thirds
of the gold certificates may be secured
bv bars of gold and only one-third by
gold coin. although, in the discretion
of the director, more than one-third of
the gold may be coined; otherwise it
would he Impossible for the treasurer
TO redeem all the certificates if pre-
scented a the same time.
AS one of the results of the influx
of the precious metal from foreign
countries. in a small room in the vaults
of the San Francisco mint one may, If
he can be trusted not to carry ii away,
be shown little pile of gold, sixty
eight tons in weight, representing
800, 900. This is piled in bars
weighing 400 and 900 ounces apiece.
This heap of precious metal would pay
for the five new battle cruisers reported
out by the naval constructor; and ii
drawn upon to meet the expenses of
the European war would melt away in
about six days.
The mints coin not only the standard
pieces. but at times they also strike off
issues for special purposes, such Is the
San Francisco fair. They are now about
to put out a gold dollar for the Nc
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-06-25

the land 20 come to Washington to con-
suit the library. but it is possible for
the information stored in the library
to reach the farmer in an Indirect
manner
By sending the books out of the libra
ry to the various state agricultural col
leses and experiment stations through
out the country they are of use to
scientists of these institutions who are
engaged in solving the agricultural
problems of their respective states
When book or periodical which can
not goiout of the library is n"Eded for
uee In The work II d ga l.as
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-06-25

college or experiment station, photo
stat copy is made of the article or sec
ton desired.
But the library comes to the farmer
mainly through the bulletins of the de-
partment In the preparation of the
bulletins and other publications of the
department, especially those of direct
interest to the farming community, the
collection in the library assists by CIV
ing printed opinions and the results of
the experience of past Investigations
all over the world.
Said Miss Barnett. in a recent talk:
tbs aim ,. the library Of the Depart
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-06-25

~ y OW many of the millions OF
I'LL farmers in the United States
realize that the most extern
- x siye and the most important
agricultural library in the
NO. q is the library of the Department
OF Agriculture at Washington?
And how many OF them are aware
that this library, which has been grow
ing and developing in Washington for
tire past forty-eight years. is ma naged
rs a woman
A slender. qui.t-mann-red woman Is
MSS CIarib-i Il. Barnett. who since
cary womsnhood. and after her grad
uation from the University OF Michi-
ga. and her course at the New York
STATE Library School has worked here.
he.e.
Commencing as head cataloguer, she
became assistant librarian. and when.
ter years ago. its former incumbent.
Miss josephine a. Clark. left the serv-
Ice OF the government TO become libra
rian al Smith College. Miss Barnett
stepped INTO the position for which her
training had prepared her.
Nowhere else under the sun is there
Euch a force of scientists working for
ore object as Is employed by the United
States Department Of Agriculture
Three thousand strong. these men OF
microscope and test tube are producing
the most advanced results of study
observation. research and experiment
This army OF scientists depend upon
che library for the written lore which
must De consulted gain and again ere
u gives 10 the world the results which
coneern the welfare OF millions.
Some day. when the great structure
which is to house the Department of
Agriculture Is completed. the library
will find Its place in the administers
tion building. which win form the
center of the magnificent group. Al
present the $4,000 books and pam
phlets comprising this storehouee OF
printed knowledge conveniently
placed in one of the new rented build
ings which are temporarily serving the
Department of Agriculture.
The librarian couples the first roor1
on the right of the front entrance OF
tire huild!ng ut 1913 b street south
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-06-25

purchases all books for the use of the
department and keeps complete cata-
logue of all the resources of the library.
there are a number of bureau libraries
which contain special books required
for the technical work of the bureaus
using them. A large part of the ref
erence work is done in the bureau
Libraries, which are in close touch with
the needs of the bureaus.
The various divisions which have
special libraries with their own libra
rians are the bureaus of animal indus
try, biological survey. chemistry, crop
estimates, entomology, forest service,
plant industry, dairy division, states
relations service, farm management.
markets and rural organization, and
public roads and rural engineering.
This list serves also to give an
idea of the scope of the work COW
cred by the main library. and the many
branches of the science of agriculture
for which it provides. 1t also explains
the great diversity in the character of
books upon our shelves, many of which
would seem to be beyond our realm. At
first thought great many of the titles
which one sees here seem almost for
eign to the Department of Agriculture,
the pure food and drugs act being one OF
several subjects whose relation to agri-
culture seems remote.
Here. for instance, is millinery
trade publication. 1t might appear as
though one of the women of the de-
partment had brought personal
periodical for perusal in leisure mo-
ments. AS a matter of fact. this publ
cation must be at hand SO that the
scientists of the biological survey. in
connection with their bird protection
work, may keep in touch with such
materials as dealers in plumage are
selling. And you might marvel at our
need for marine dictionary, but the
forest service frequently consults it to
learn what woods are being used in the
building of ships.
You might, again. be surprised at
seeing a book upon dentistry upon our
shelves, but the pure food and drugs
act renders necessary the knowledge
it contains, and the bureau of animal
industry calls for many medical books
and journals. Law books must be on
hand for consultation by the solicitors
office, and many of the bureaus and
divisions; the subject of bonds comes
up in connection with the office of pub
lie roads and rural engineering. while
books upon insurance relate to the
work of the Office of markets and rural
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-06-25

ment of Agriculture, and its main pur-
nose is to aid the Investigations car
ried on by the department. But We
also look at it in a broader light. we
regard it as the national agricultural
library, serving not only the depart
ment but also the state agricultural
colleges. experiment stations. the coun-
~ agents who are the direct advisers OF
the farmers and all who are engaged
in agricultural research.
This country is making great strides
in agricultural history. In 1862 the
Department of Agriculture was estab-
lished. and in the same year was pass
ed the Morrill, act providing special
funds for the agricultural or land grant
colleges. In 1887 the Hatch act Tor
agricultural experiment stations helped
the cause. The Adams act gave tur-
Their money and encouragement TO
agricultural research, and in 1914 was
passed the agricultural extension, or
Smith Lever, act, making the results
of all agricultural research availabie
to the farmers through county agents,
all of these forming wonderful net
work of agricultural knowledge ex-
tending from the department TO the
people.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-06-25

THE library really has three classes
of purchase-books on agriculture and
related subjects, books upon kindred
subjects expected in an agricultural IL
brary and miscellaneous books on some
special subject quite far afield from
a agriculture, but necessary to supply
some definite information required in
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-06-25

HE IS Librarian the Department of Agriculture and Has
- Charge of One Hundred and Thirty Three Thousand Books
and Pamphe-Has Thirty Three Assstants-The Key to the
Lbay-Vaue of Books the Farmer-The Bulletin System
On the Library Shelves.