59 



to it, and in the days of ridiculously small appropriations. Anil here 

 pardon a digression, in oue of the biographical sketches of the man, 

 which appeared at the time of his death, it is said that "during his en- 

 tire service he never asked for special appropriations for the pursuit of 

 investigations in any particular interest." This is true, but while he 

 never "asked" for appropriations — i. e., by persistent personal labor 

 with committeemen — he never lost the opportunity to explain to Con- 

 gressmen or other visitors of influence the benefits to be derived by 

 American agriculture in the establishment of such a museum in Wash- 

 ington ; and he always closed with a tersely-put statement as to the 

 ridiculously small sums of money that were available from the annual 

 appropriations with which to carry on the work. Aud upon one occa- 

 sion, some years after the establishment of the museum, he made such 

 an impression upon an enthusiastic committeeman who was visiting the 

 collections that the sum of $3,000 was shortly afterward appropriated 

 for the museum, to be spent under Mr. Glover's special direction. It 

 nearly took his breath away, and, as his assistant, I well remember how 

 hard it was to get him to use all of the money, as any unexpended bal- 

 ance at the end of the fiscal year would be turned back in the Treasury, 

 the reluctant purchase of a microscope nearly using up the amount re- 

 maining on hand the last of June. 



It was natural for him to talk the museum scheme to all who would 

 listeu. He believed in his idan, thought over it, worked for its perfec- 

 tion, confidently believing in its ultimately attaining the fullest realiza- 

 tion of success. The two rooms in the Patent Office were soon filled to 

 overflowing; and when the designs were being made for the new build- 

 ing to be erected for the Department of Agriculture an exhibition hall, 

 50 by 100 feet in dimension, was contemplated, which it was thought 

 would be ample for the purpose. This was occupied in the fall of 1868, 

 twelve walnut cases having been provided for the reception of the va- 

 rious collections at that time brought together. But even in the new hall 

 the " plan " was hardly fulfilled in the arrangement. The " State divi- 

 sion" was represented by a single case of California products, the other 

 two divisions not being distinctively indicated, the entire museum being 

 at the same time " general " aud " economic," as its specific collections 

 were as yet small and very incomplete. 



As a man of deep originality and thought may make a wonderful dis- 

 covery or i^roduce a valuable invention, and yet find himself lacking in 

 that worldly knowledge which would enable him to apply it with the 

 least difficulty to the uses of every-day life, so it was to a certain degree 

 with Mr. Glover in relation to his admirable museum scheme. Stronger 

 as an originator, or an investigator, than as an organizer, he lacked in 

 a measure executive ability. He wasable to outline andperfect a splen- 

 did system, but unable to carry it out save as he might do so through 

 the untiring labor of his own hands. This was the one drawback in the 

 preparation of his great work on entomology ; aud it showed itself in the 



