REPORT OF RATIONAL MUSEUM, 132G. 1S1 



Philippine woods, and in attempting to identify specimens from his 

 own collection. 



Prof. Alfred F. Barker, Professor of Textile Industries at Leeds 

 University, England, during his visit to the United States last sum- 

 mer to study the American wool industry, made a special trip to 

 Washington to look over the work being done in this division. 

 Through the U. S. Consul at Bradford, England, Professor Barker 

 furnished the National Museum, several years ago, with a fine series 

 of specimens illustrating the manufacture of various wool textiles. 



Numerous visitors made inquiry at the curator's office in search of 

 special information suggested by the exhibits, and made particular 

 use of the technical books in the sectional library. The curator fur- 

 nished special information on industrial raw materials and the 

 identification of specimens, from time to time during the year, to 

 the Commercial Museum, Philadelphia. Pennsylvania: Salvage 

 Board, Department of Ordnance, War Department; Shipping 

 Board; Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, Department of 

 Commerce; Bureaus of Chemistry and Plant Industry. Department 

 of Agriculture. The identification of specimens of fibers and fabrics, 

 gums, resins, seeds, and woods for numerous individuals, both in 

 and out <d* the Government service, has been a regular part of the 

 work of this division. The curator has also furnished the identifica- 

 tion of the cottons and cotton seeds introduced by the Office of For- 

 eign Seed and Plant Introduction and Distribution. Department of 

 Agriculture; and for inquirers outside of the Government service he 

 has supplied information on the following subjects: 



Pure dye silks, manufacture of glucose, use of snow crystals ami 

 aboriginal fabrics as motifs in design, methods of wax resist dyeing 

 for batik work, status of the wool market, the importance of color 

 in manufacturing industries, uses of ivory ami the raw commercial 

 products of Africa. 



Bibliographical compilations were supplied on the following sub- 

 jects: Glue manufacture, physical effects of the use of tobacco, his- 

 tory of rubber and vulcanization, wax resist dyeing, sewing and 

 costume design, and hand-loom weaving. 



The assistant curator, section of wood technology, furnished in- 

 formation to outsiders on the following subjects : Suitability of cer- 

 tain South American woods for cabinet making, production of alcohol 

 from wood waste, rope knots and splices, the " big trees " of Australia, 

 process of extraction of tannin from hemlock bark, tree flora of the 

 West Indies, and uses of the cabbage palmetto. He also determined 

 the identification of a number of wood specimens. 



The curator was invited to deliver a lecture before the Royal Cana- 

 dian Institute of Toronto. Ontario, on February 21. 1920. This in- 

 vitation was accepted and a lecture on "The Production and Manu- 



