completed, viz., a general index to the whole set of the
SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN and SUPPLEMENT from 1846 to date.

It is unnecessary for me to point out to you the importance of
this work, embracing a collection which has held the leading
place in the line of general information on invention and
progress, the labor of compiling which has been so formidable
that no movement in that direction has been attempted by the
publishers except in regard to the SUPPLEMENT only, and that
very imperfectly. This index embraces now 184,600 cards, not
punched, and at present stored in shallow drawers and fastened
by rubber bands, and of course they are at present unavailable
for use. There is little prospect of printing this index, and
I have been endeavoring for some time to throw the index open
to the public by punching the cards and fastening them with
guard rods, but as yet have made no perceptible impression
upon the authorities, although the expense of preparation
would be only about $70.

There has also been completed an index to the English journal
_Engineering_, comprising 84,000 cards, from the beginning to
date.

An index to Dingler's _Polytechnisches Journal_ was also
commenced as long ago as 1878, carried on for six or seven
years and then dropped. I hope, however, at no remote date, to
bring this forward to the present time.

On taking charge of the library I was at once impressed with
the immense value of the periodical literature on our shelves