PREFATORY TO REPORTS OF HEADS OF DIVISIONS. 
If the appropriation for the publication of the annual report of this 
department could be made available on the ist of January of each year 
it would be possible to print and distribute the report of the preceding 
year before the adjournment of the regular session of Congress; but as 
the appropriation is not now available until the beginning of the new 
fiscal year (July 1, 1879,) the annual report for 1878 cannot be printed 
until that time, and will be distributed by members of Congress durmg 
the succeeding session, in the winter of 1879~80; hence it is possible, 
and sometimes desirable, to include in the report of the previous year 
the work done in the spring of the year following. In this report of 1878, 
so called, much important work of the Chemical Division, under the able 
and earnest direction of the chemist, Prof. PETER COLLIER, has been 
accomplished during the year 1879; and the same statement will apply 
to the article on ‘Diseases of Domesticated Animals,” carefully com- 
piled by Mr. W. J. Cowrne from the reports of experts employed as 
examiners. 
The work of the department has been brought down to the latest day 
possible in these cases, because the matters under examination were 
specially interesting and important to the country at large; and all the 
information that could be contributed to the subjects treated was ear- 
nesily desired and sought for by very many correspondents. 
It is asubject of much regret that the Chemical Division is so limited 
by insufficient means, as well as for the want of a proper laboratory, that 
much work, particularly analyses of various mineral deposits referred by 
members of Congress and agricultural and scientific associations, could 
not be accomplished; but an examination of what has been done will 
satisfy any one familiar with the facilities afforded that there has been no 
waste of the space, time, or means at our disposal. Among the minerals 
that have been analyzed are specimens from nearly every section of the 
country, many giving evidence of the existence of valuable mineral depos- 
its which warrant a more thorough examination. Jt has been the desireof 
the department to assist, so far as it could be done without interference 
in our regular work, in the development of ail the mineral resources of the 
country, including the ores of all metals as well as the minerals of value 
only as fertilizers. 
Detailed results of these examinations have becn omitted, as the re- 
port, by the law making the appropriation to print, is confined to a lim- 
ited number of pages. 
EXPERIMENTS IN SUGAR-MAKING. 
During the past year experiments have been made in the manufacture 
of sugar from corn-stalks and sorghum, and the interest manifested in 
the results has been shown by the examination of the sugars produced 
by many hundreds of spectators, and by letters received from every 
section of the country showing anxiety for information concerning the 
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