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REPORT OF THE CURATOR OF THE ECO- 

 NOMIC COLLECTIONS. 



Dr. N. L. Britton, Director-in-Chief. 



Sir: I have the honor to report continued progress in the 

 accumulation and study of materials for the Economic Col- 

 lections during the year 1901. The total number of speci- 

 mens added is nearly 1,500. Besides a large number of 

 scattering accessions, I would refer to the following specially 

 important sets or collections : 



A complete illustration of the manufacture of spool cotton 

 thread, contributed by the Clark Thread Company, of New- 

 ark, N. J. This series includes raw material of different 

 varieties, the material in each stage of manufacture and just 

 as it comes from the machine, the forms of waste removed in 

 the different operations, the effects of bleaching and of va- 

 rious dyes and a section of a spinning machine, of full size 

 and workable. This exhibit is the more noteworthy because 

 it embodies the idea of industrial exhibition treated in my 

 previous annual reports. It is very unfortunate that we are 

 obliged, for want of case-room, to postpone displaying this 

 exhibit in an effective manner. More than half of it is still 

 in the shipping cases, awaiting space for setting up. 



The fine exhibit of hemp, and of hemp and other cordage 

 and rope, referred to in my last report as promised by Messrs. 

 Travers Bros., has been received, that firm having taken 

 great trouble to make it complete and instructive. This set 

 has been on exhibition since early in the year. 



A considerable additional number of food products have 

 been received from Messrs. F. H. Leggett & Company, and 

 placed in the cases. 



More than 500 specimens obtained by yourself, in Paris, 

 have been added to the collection. 



Small collections of economic material have been secured 

 by yourself in St. Kitts, by Prof. L. M. Underwood in 

 Porto Rico, by Mr. R. M. Harper in Georgia, and by my- 



