PEOCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 6 



originators of such a comiirelieusive sclieine are perfectly conscious how 

 short is hfe, and they know that the conclusion of their work is as far 

 off as is eternity. Yet, for this task there are many men who are ready 

 to labor on for years, conscious of the enormous advantages such a 

 museum will present — not only in the next decade, but in the future. 

 They are sanguine that in a comparatively short period this National 

 Museum can be made attractive, and that the interest in it will increase 

 in exact proportion with the instruction it imparts. 



In describing the sources from whence already a large ijroportion of 

 the collection has been derived, that coming in now from the census 

 plays an important part. This census in some of its labors gave for 

 results more than a dry catalogue, to be summed up by a row of figures. 

 Tangible evidences of the resources of the country were required, and 

 in some instances crude or manufactured objects were obtained. The 

 mineral wealth of this country has been better understood by the last 

 census than ever before. Thousands on thousands of specimens of 

 building stone, collected all over the United States by the Census Bu- 

 reau, are now deposited in this museum. Now, if these stones be fol- 

 lowed out even briefly, they will explain the rationale, the thorough 

 character, of an exhibition of this kind, which precise method is to be 

 applied to every other substance. 



Fragments of each stone lie alongside of the square block, the sides 

 of which has been polished in various styles. A visitor at once sees how 

 the stone works. If he is a builder of houses, a contractor who under- 

 takes work to cost a million, or his workman, a certain quota of positive 

 information is received. He who pays his money or is to receive it — both 

 are taught. But this lot of stone is just on the commencement of its in- 

 vestigations. Fragments of it have been subjected to chemical analy- 

 sis, and its exact chemical constituents are learned. The geologist has 

 studied it. Then the microscoi)ist has put it under his lens and has 

 found out its structure. Finally, it has been subjected to the mechani- 

 cian, who tried its strength and learned how much strain it would stand. 

 Now we begin to appreciate how thorough and exhaustive is the method 

 to which this specimen has been subjected. The visitor knows from the 

 label, if he can read, locality, composition, and absolute value. 



Simply looking at these objects to be exposed only as things, irrespect- 

 ive of natural characteristics, the process of study is to be the same 

 throughout. Here are endless bottles of pharmaceutical preparations. 

 Every one of these is being subjected to analysis. Each one will tell 

 its own story, as where found, method of preparation, where derived, 

 consumption, and, what is more, the cost will be indicated. 



Now, it often happens that, in the multifarious business of the gov-' 

 ernment, exact information is required in regard to substances on which 

 duties are to be levied. It has heretofore been the habit to subject 

 these substances to special experts. To-day, for already the working 



