﻿REPORT 
  OF 
  THE 
  SECRETARY 
  103 
  

  

  All 
  these 
  investigations 
  in 
  common 
  require 
  a 
  spectroscopic 
  labora- 
  

   tory 
  supported 
  by 
  both 
  physical 
  and 
  chemical 
  departments. 
  

  

  LABORATORIES 
  

  

  Space 
  in 
  the 
  basement 
  of 
  the 
  west 
  wing 
  of 
  the 
  Smithsonian 
  Build- 
  

   ing, 
  previously 
  used 
  for 
  storage, 
  is 
  being 
  renovated 
  and 
  equipped 
  for 
  

   laboratory 
  purposes. 
  Because 
  of 
  the 
  very 
  heavy 
  walls, 
  and 
  the 
  

   fact 
  that 
  the 
  rooms 
  are 
  partially 
  under 
  ground, 
  this 
  space 
  is 
  pecu- 
  

   liarly 
  suited 
  to 
  the 
  purpose, 
  owing 
  to 
  its 
  evenness 
  of 
  temperature. 
  

   A 
  large 
  room 
  on 
  the 
  north 
  side 
  will 
  accommodate 
  the 
  plant-growth 
  

   chambers, 
  spectrographs, 
  and 
  photometer 
  rooms. 
  Adjoining, 
  a 
  small 
  

   room 
  will 
  serve 
  as 
  dark 
  room 
  and 
  enlarging 
  room. 
  Two 
  smaller 
  

   rooms 
  on 
  the 
  south 
  side 
  of 
  the 
  wing 
  complete 
  the 
  assignment 
  of 
  space. 
  

   One 
  of 
  these 
  is 
  to 
  be 
  a 
  physical 
  laboratory 
  accommodating 
  infra-red 
  

   recording 
  spectroscopes 
  and 
  general 
  manipulative 
  equipment. 
  The 
  

   other 
  of 
  the 
  smaller 
  rooms 
  has 
  been 
  subdivided, 
  the 
  larger 
  portion 
  to 
  

   serve 
  as 
  a 
  chemical 
  laboratory 
  and 
  the 
  smaller 
  as 
  a 
  glass-blowing 
  

   room. 
  

  

  The 
  renovation 
  of 
  these 
  rooms, 
  subdivision, 
  extension 
  of 
  plumbing, 
  

   and 
  construction 
  of 
  the 
  very 
  heavy 
  electrical 
  arteries 
  required 
  for 
  

   the 
  artificial 
  illumination 
  of 
  the 
  plants 
  has 
  been 
  ably 
  carried 
  out 
  by 
  

   the 
  National 
  Museum 
  personnel. 
  

  

  EQUIPMENT 
  

  

  The 
  purchase 
  of 
  general 
  equipment 
  is 
  nearing 
  completion. 
  Plans 
  

   have 
  been 
  drawn 
  up 
  for 
  a 
  preconditioning 
  chamber 
  and 
  construction 
  

   has 
  been 
  begun. 
  Drawings 
  have 
  been 
  made 
  for 
  the 
  actual 
  growth 
  

   chambers 
  and 
  bids 
  are 
  under 
  consideration. 
  Special 
  apparatus 
  for 
  

   the 
  construction 
  of 
  radiation-detecting 
  devices 
  is 
  being 
  made. 
  Grat- 
  

   ings 
  for 
  spectroscopic 
  investigations 
  are 
  being 
  purchased 
  from 
  the 
  

   Johns 
  Hopkins 
  University. 
  Much 
  of 
  the 
  equipment 
  formerly 
  used 
  

   in 
  the 
  infra-red 
  investigation 
  of 
  Langley, 
  Abbot, 
  and 
  Fowle 
  will 
  be 
  

   used 
  for 
  the 
  molecular-structure 
  investigations 
  through 
  the 
  courtesy 
  

   of 
  the 
  Astrophysical 
  Observatory. 
  

  

  FINANCIAL 
  

  

  The 
  major 
  portion 
  of 
  the 
  expense 
  for 
  the 
  coming 
  year, 
  approxi- 
  

   mating 
  $20,000, 
  will 
  be 
  cared 
  for 
  by 
  means 
  of 
  grants 
  from 
  the 
  Re- 
  

   search 
  Corporation. 
  Of 
  this 
  sum 
  approximately 
  $12,000 
  will 
  be 
  

   spent 
  upon 
  salaries 
  and 
  the 
  remaining 
  $8,000 
  upon 
  equipment. 
  As 
  

   the 
  work 
  develops 
  it 
  is 
  hoped 
  that 
  it 
  will 
  so 
  commend 
  itself 
  that 
  

   larger 
  means 
  may 
  become 
  available. 
  

  

  