338 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



which all appeared to study the specimens, not as objects of 

 curiosity, but as things of real interest. What an influence 

 the free access to such vast collections must exert upon the 

 character and education of the population. 



At the Polytechnic Institute, one of the largest in Europe, it 

 happened to be vacation, a circumstance which I particularly 

 regretted, as I was desirous to see and study, so far as I could, 

 the practical working of so grand an establishment. I was 

 bound not to be wholly baffled, however, and after asking first 

 one and tlien another, I stumbled, at last, upon the very intel- 

 ligent custodian of the establishment — told him I was an 

 American, and interested in a similar institution, the Institute 

 of Technology in Boston, and requested to be shown over the 

 rooms under his charge. Without hesitation he accompanied 

 me through all the rooms of the cabinet, and gave me much 

 useful information with regard to the whole. The collections 

 which form the cabinet of the practical arts and trades were 

 magnificent in extent and completeness. There were the most 

 extensive collections of specimens in all the departments, 

 showing the whole process which the raw materials pass through 

 in the various arts ; wools, of various kinds and degrees of 

 fineness ; the models of machinery for carding ; specimens of 

 carded wools; then woollen cloths, woollen garments, and an 

 infinite variety of goods and fabrics made from wool. Then 

 cotton, the plant, the raw cotton, ginned cotton, cotton fabrics 

 of every description. Leather, wood, horn ; the numberless 

 ores from which metals are extracted ; the cocoons of the silk 

 worm, and illustrations of all the transformations of the insect 

 itself; the processes through which silk passes; silk fabrics ; 

 glass and its manufacture ; agricuKural implements, and every 

 conceivable article used in the mechanic arts. 



" These are all used by the professors," said he, " in their 

 lectures before the students." 



" How many students have you ordinarily 'i " 



" From fifteen hundred to two thousand." 



" And how many professors ? " 



" Seventeen." 



And then there arc many working rooms where the speci- 

 mens are prepared, and where the students arc taught the 

 practical manipulations in the arts to which they may be 



