For Your Hobbies

Going Fishing without Mosquitoes
A slow day at the fishing hole can lead to lots of ribbing. Take the easy way out and stop at the fish store on the way home, but make sure you keep the fish you buy safe to eat. The Office of Seafood at the Food and Drug Administration has an automated telephone system which can answer your questions regarding seafood storage, cooking, safety, handling, labeling or any problems you may have concerning seafood. Some of the publications include: If You Eat Raw Oysters, Fishing for Facts, Is Something Fishy Going On? Seafood Nutrition Information Chart, Getting Information From the FDA, For your free publications, or for more information, contact: Seafood Hotline; 800-FDA-4010.

Do You Know Someone Who is a Gold Digger?
The U.S. Geological Survey distributes a free booklet, How To Mine and Prospect For Gold, which can get your gold digger started on the right path. For a free copy contact: U.S. Geological Survey, 983 National Center, Reston, VA 20192.

Borrow the Battle
The photography library of the U.S. Park Service will lend you pictures and slides of national parks, monuments, and battlefields. A great resource for Civil War buffs. Contact: Photo Library, Office of Public Affairs, National Park Service, U.S. Department of Interior, 18th and C Sts., NW, Washington, DC 20240; 202-208-4997.

A Thousand Words
If you need to illuminate a talk or presentation, the National Gallery has a lending library of 50,000 images. There's no catalog, so start a wish list. The images can be borrowed through inter-library loan. For the Public Lending Guide or more information contact: National Gallery of Art, Slide Library, Constitution and 6th St., NW, Washington, DC 20565; 202-842-6099.

For the Would-Be Wine Connoisseur
What exactly does all the writing on a wine bottle mean? What You Should Know About Grape Wine Labels is a free brochure which describes the elements written on a label for grape wine and what can be learned from the label. These include brand, vintage date, variety designations, alcohol content, appellation of origin, viticultural area, name or trade name, and estate bottled. These things are very important in choosing a good bottle of wine, so study hard. Contact: Distribution Center, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, U.S. Department of Treasury, 7943 Angus Court, Springfield, VA 22153; 703-455-7801.

The Wild, Wild West
The Bureau of Land Management rides herd on over 270 million acres of range and has the photos to prove it. It also has hundreds of pictures of cowpokes, prospectors and crusty miners. No catalog is available, but you can request a loan. Include type of photo, time period, or location in your request. Contact: National Applied Resources Science Center (NARSC), RS 100, P.O. Box 25047, Denver Federal Center, Bldg. 50, Denver, CO 80225-0047; 303-236-1142.

GOLD Rush
Mining for gold did not end in the 1800's, but continues today. Turn your vacation into a true treasure hunt with the help of some free publications available through the U.S. Geological Survey. Gold discusses the nature of gold, and the geologic environments in which it is found. Prospecting for Gold in the United States describes various kinds of gold deposits and their locations. Suggestions for Prospecting compares modern prospecting techniques with those of earlier years. Write your request for these publications to U.S. Geological Survey, Map Distribution, Box 25286, Denver, CO 80225; 800-USA-MAPS.

This Land Is Your Land
A 300,000 photo pictorial survey of the U.S., dating from 1869 to the present, including rivers, volcanoes, and earthquakes, is maintained by the U.S. Geological Service. To obtain information on ordering or purchasing prints, negatives or transparencies, contact the library directly. Contact: Photographic Library, MS914, U.S. Geological Survey, Box 25046, Federal Center, Denver, CO 80225-0046; 303-236-1010; for the hearing impaired, 303-236-0998 TTY.

What's This?
Get your kids interested in the outdoors by helping them start a rock collection. Collecting Rocks is a free publication of the U.S. Geological Survey which describes the origin of major rock types and provides suggestions for starting a rock collection and identifying specimens. Write for your copy to U.S. Geological Survey, Map Distribution, Box 25286, Denver, CO 80225; 800-USA-MAPS.

An Armchair Walk in the Woods... and Time
The U.S. Forest Service has two entire libraries of photographs and slides dating back to 1890. Topics covered include forestry, timber industry, fish and wildlife, and more. The Historical Library has images from 1890-1954, with half of the collection on a laser disk. The Current Library can put together photographs or slides based upon your request. For more ordering or borrowing information contact: Historical Photographs, National Agricultural Library, 10301 Baltimore Blvd., Beltsville, MD 20705; 301-504-5876. Current Library, Forest Service, Office of Public Affairs, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 201 14th St., SW, Washington, DC 20250; 202-205-0963.

Stamp It!
Did the Elvis stamp craze peak your interest? Stamp collecting is the most popular hobby in the world, so join in. The U.S. Postal Service has a pamphlet titled, Introduction to Stamp Collecting (pub. 225), which can help get you on your way to the philatelic hall of fame. This free publication is available at your local post office or by writing U.S. Postal Service, 475 L'Enfant Plaza West, SW, Washington, DC 20260.