REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT, 1922. 9 



Yerkes, has held several meetings, in the course of which there has 

 been outlined a series of investigations held to be necessary as a basis 

 of future advance in this subject. Similar conferences on the History 

 of Science, on certain problems of American Archaeology, and on many 

 other subjects have advanced the work of the Institution materially 

 and have brought about a closer cooperation with investigators associ- 

 ated with other institutions. 



During the past year the Institution has attempted to make some 

 of the results of recent researches available to investigators and 



interested citizens of Washington through the medium 

 Lectures. of carefully prepared and illustrated lectures. Two 



series comprising seven lectures were presented, one in 

 November and the other in March and April. The nature of the first 

 series is illustrated by Dr. Morley's lecture on recent discoveries in the 

 field of early American archaeology in Guatemala, and by that of Dr. 

 Arthur L. Day, describing an exhaustive investigation of the recent 

 eruption of Mount Lassen in California. In the second series Dr. L. 

 B. Mendel, a collaborator of the Institution at Yale University, 

 discussed the results of recent work conducted by Doctors Osborne 

 and Mendel in the field of nutrition. Dr. J. N. Rose marked the 

 completion of a monograph on the cactus group by presenting the 

 general results secured in this study of adaptation of a group of 

 plants to the peculiar conditions of semi-arid regions in the western 

 hemisphere. These lectures have served not merely as a means of 

 bringing the general results of research to the scientific public of 

 Washington, but through the accompanying exhibits opportunity 

 has been opened for contact between the investigators and a con- 

 siderable group of persons especially interested. 



A full statement of the researches of the Institution during the past 

 year will be contained in a summary of results in the Year Book 

 covering the year 1922. The account is interesting 

 ^ReseSch.*" ^ every detail. In the Hst of our publications on 

 page 18 and in the bibliography appended to this 

 report the titles of our published works furnish a striking statement 

 of results. In addition to this exhibit, it is interesting to note in the 

 work of the Institution a tendency to reach toward still more compli- 

 cated and difficult problems through the medium of cooperative plans. 

 Although the major part of the work of the Institution is con- 

 ducted through regularly organized departments, it has also been 

 our pleasure to cooperate with a large number of distinguished in- 



