30 CARNEGIE INSTITUTION OF WASHINGTON. 



It is an interesting fact that while biology is one of the most recent and 



most recondite of the sciences, the rapidity of its development is unparalleld. 



^ , It dates essentially from the epoch of publication of Dar- 



Dcpartmeot of . , ^ . . . „ . . „ tt / o 



Experimental Win s Origm of opecies m 1859. Herbert bpencer asserts 



Evolution. ^■^^^ ^^ ^]^g ^jj^g Qf ^j-jg jgg^^g Qf j^jg work on biology (1864) 



"not one person in ten or more knew the meaning of the word . . . and 

 among those who knew it, few cared to know anything about the subject." 

 It is interesting to note also that we are now witnessing the passage of biolog- 

 ical science from the qualitativ to the quantitativ stage. Thus the work 

 of the Department of Experimental Evolution presents a double interest in 

 furnishing evidences at once of the evolution of organic forms and of the 

 evolution of a science. The history of biological science, like the history of 

 most sciences in their earlier stages, has been, and still is, mard to some 

 extent by heated controversy. But all this is destind to disappear with the 

 rise of biology to the plane of quantitativ detennination. It is on this plane 

 that the department in question is seeking, with capital initial success, to carry 

 on its investigations. The publications of the department already issued are 

 reckond among the most important of recent contributions in this large field 

 of research. 



Dr. George H. Shull, of the departmental stafif, has continued his studies of 

 the plant developments of Luther Burbank with the expectation of complet- 

 ing this work by the end of the calendar year. 



The facilities of the department have been increast during the year by 

 the purchase of Goose Island, in Long Island Sound, for the purpose of 

 providing an area where the development of plants and animals in a state of 

 isolation may be observd. 



This department was establisht in the early part of 1904 in accordance 

 with a resolution past by the Executiv Committee on January 19, 1904. Dr. 



j-j . , Carroll D. Wright, then a Trustee and a member of the 



Economics Executiv Committee, was given general supervision of the 



and Sociology. project as director of the department. The field of investi- 

 gation was divided originally into eleven sections, to which another was 

 added in 1906. Dr. Wright assumd the work of one of these sections him- 

 self, and assignd the work of the other eleven sections, respectivly, to as 

 many collaborators, a majority of whom are connected with colleges and 

 universities, and all of whom are preoccupied with other duties. 



Soon after the death of Dr. Wright the collaborators were invited to meet 

 the President for conference with reference to the existing status and the 

 future conduct of the work of the department. Such a conference was held 

 in the office of the Institution at Washington, March 20, 1909. In addition 

 to full reports renderd at this time, the details of which need not be given 



