116 ANNUAL EEPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 193 



DEVELOPMENT OF LABORATORY 



The initial drafting of plans for the development of the space 

 assigned to the division v^^as begun May 1, 1929. By July 1, the 

 actual work of reconstruction, transforming the empty basement into 

 a laboratory, was under way. Room No. 18, the largest of the three 

 rooms originally assigned, some GO feet long by 20 feet wide, was 

 planned to accommodate the main plant experiments and spectro- 

 scopic work in the visible region. Three small constant temperature 

 rooms were divided off for photometric and phototropic measure- 

 ments, and control instruments. Provision was made for experi- 

 ments dealing with the growth of plants under controlled conditions 

 in one end of the long laboratory space remaining. The other end 

 was arranged for the spectroscopic study of the sources of light 

 required in these experiments. Room No. IT, one of the two smaller 

 rooms, was subdivided into two parts, the larger portion, some 16 by 

 16 feet, was equipped with soapstone sinks, hood, furnace, still, etc., 

 for a chemical laboratory. This is required for the preparation of 

 nutrient solutions which replace the soil in the growth of plants, for 

 dessicating and weighing the plants, for the incidental chemical 

 phases of other experiments, and later, for the photochemical experi- 

 ments which may be undertaken. The smaller part of room 17, about 

 9 bj^ 16 feet, has been equipped for glass blowing and related technical 

 construction. Room 16, used prior to the completion of the space in 

 the tower as office and drafting room, was subsequently subdivided 

 into a large laboratory space and two small constant-temperature 

 rooms for infra-red work. 



Throughout the laboratory, with the exception of the glass-blowing 

 room, the windows were provided with light-proof curtains, so that 

 the experiments could be carried out in the absence of daylight when 

 required. Plumbing and heavy electrical installations were made so 

 that service would be conveniently available for the experiments. 

 This service includes gas and air, 110 and 220 volts, both alternating 

 and direct current. Alternating current, not previously available in 

 the Smithsonian, was brought in by way of the Freer Building. 

 A special gas booster was installed to provide gas under sufficient 

 pressure for the glass blowing of large pyrex apparatus. A large 

 batter}'^ was installed, together with heavy leads for special constant- 

 light sources in the photometer room, and also in the infra-red 

 laboratory. All this general reconstruction, including carpentry, 

 masonry, electrical wiring, plumbing, and painting, as well as the 

 construction of special tables, was carried out either by, or under 

 the direction of, the INIuseum organization, to whom the division is 

 greatly indebted for the unusually fine laboratory resulting. The 



