REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1918. 79 



the seeds of four species of Fevillea were lent to Mr. W. E. Safford, 

 of the department, for use in connection with his work. 



Mineral technology. — The division of mineral technology received 

 33 accessions, comprising 287 items, during the year. Though larger 

 in bulk, the value represented is distinctly inferior to that of the 

 preceding year, the special activities of the division having of 

 necessity been largely turned to war projects, at the expense of the 

 routine. 



The following are the most important acquisitions: A series of 

 accessions from American coal products manufacturers, resulting 

 from the entry of American industrial enterprise in this new field 

 of endeavor. The exhibit comes to the Museum through the efforts 

 of the Barrett Co., of New York City, to which company belongs 

 the credit both of being the largest individual contributor to the 

 series and of being instrumental in securing the donation of the rest. 

 Special recognition is also due the National Aniline and Chemical 

 Co.. of Buffalo, N. Y.j for its contributions of coal product dye- 

 stuffs. From the National Lead Co., of New York City, was re- 

 ceived a large sketch illustration depicting the sequence of operations 

 connected with the manufacture of lead, together with certain ad- 

 ditional features to the model of the lead manufacturing plant re- 

 ceived from that company the previous year. Twenty-two colored 

 art glassware specimens were donated by the Steuben Glass Co., 

 of Corning, N. Y., and a panoramic model, 11 by 14 feet, showing the 

 occurrence and mining of gold was constructed from Museum plans 

 in Howell's Microcosm. 



In assembling collections representative of mineral technology, at- 

 tention has been focused throughout to providing comprehensive 

 popular exhibits, and the collections thus far accumulated are wholly 

 of this order. At the beginning of the year 18 groups were on dis- 

 play in the exhibition halls, comprising abrasives, asbestos, asphalt, 

 cements, coal, copper, glass, gold, graphite, iron, lead, lime, mica, 

 petroleum, plaster, salt, sulphur, and tin. Special needs for activity 

 growing out of the war have drawn so heavily upon the resources of 

 the small staff of the division that for the time being it seemed best 

 to devote whatever was available in the way of opportunity for or- 

 thodox activity to the enhancement of what was already established, 

 deferring for the present the various projects in mind for numerical 

 expansion. Working along this line an exhibit has been added to 

 the coal series, showing something of the scope of American enter- 

 prise in its great new field of industrial endeavor in the direction of 

 coal product manufacture. The exhibit shows a 200-pound lump of 

 bituminous coal with derivatives in the form of d}^estuffs and other 

 chemicals to the number of 233, now being prepared in this country 

 in one or another of 25 responsible establishments. The series treat- 



