650 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1891. 



saud classes. First of all, I repeat, rinifors must he induced to come to 

 the Exposition and to look at the exhil)its. The next thing to he aeeom- 

 plished is, by means of careful installation and labeling, to ntake each 

 object teach some useful lesson. 



The interest of the exhibitors is identical with that of the managers 

 in this respect, and their cooperation in this higher class of exhibition 

 work is indispensable to its snccess. 



The classification scheme of every important exhibition of the past 

 forty years has been stndied for the purpose of embodying in the i)res- 

 ent plan the best features of all which have preceded it, and it is my 

 hope that, after this has been modified to meet the special needs of the 

 coming Exhibition in Chicago, it will prove to be thoroughly available 

 in practical use. 



1 need scarcely remind you that no rules for the construction of ex- 

 hibition classifications have ever been formulated. Ko two persons can 

 possibly arrive at the same results in preparing a plan of arrangement, 

 audit is unlikely that any scheme can ever be fully satisfactory to all. 

 A ])lan of classification is a matter of compromise and convenience, 

 aiul the only test of its value is in its practical working.* 



An attem])t has been made to present in this plan of classification a 

 certain logical sequence of ideas. This sequence is perhaps somewhat 

 obscured by the condonation of many (piite distinct groups in a few 

 primary divisions, and a general review of the arrangement is there- 

 fore given. 



A primary division into ten gnmps or departments is proposed. 

 Their composition is shown in a general way below, as follows: 



PuiMAliY OK PrODICTIVK ARTS. 



1. AgricuHurc and Allied Industries, includiuii' — 

 Agriculture, in :i limited sense. 

 Viticulture. 

 Horticulture and gardeniug. 



*A nnii of rlassificdtioii is uot necessarily -a unit of insiaUaiion. Your officials in 

 charge of iustalliitious uuiy at any time combine a number of classes, or comliine 

 all the classes in a division tor i>ur])oses of exliiliitiou. Similar combinations will of 

 course be made for jury work. 



Please uote particularly the possibilities in connection with Department 10, to 

 which, in the form of ('ollcctirc ExhUiits, the management may assign, for mono- 

 graphic display, in separate halls or buildings, special subjects lor which such treat- 

 ment is desired. 



When, for any reason, it is decided to remove a given group of objects from the 

 place where it logically belongs, to some other place where it is more convenient to 

 display it, it is possible by a system of cross-references in the catalogues and on the 

 labels to keep its other relationships in the mind of the visitor. Indeed, it is often 

 desirable to exhibit the same class of objects twice in different relationships. 

 Cotton in the bale, for instance, is a Ji no I product of agriculture and the raw material 

 of one of the textile industries, and for purposes of exhibition belongs in both de- 

 partments, although, ]»ossibly, subject to jury award only where it appears as a 

 l)rodiict; and there are many similar cases with which you are of course familiar. 



Tbe importance of the cross-reference system, then, is very great. 



