Reports of Committees. 23 



a month, with the exception of the summer vacation and the time 

 of the annual fair. They have been attended b}^ the principal 

 amateur and professional photographers of the city, and the dis- 

 cussions have elicited many new facts in this department of art. 



The proceedings have been widely circulated in American and 

 foreign journals, and will constitute an important addition to the 

 printed volume of Transactions of the Institute. 



No process or in-wntion relating to chemistry, mineralogy or 

 geology has been Teferred by the Institute to your committee for 

 examination or analj^sis, but the members of the committee were 

 active during the time of the fair in serving on juries of experts, 

 and in promoting the success of the department entrusted to their 

 charge. 



All of which is respectfully submitted. 



New York, February 6, 1868. 



CHARLES A. JOY, Chairman. 



ADMISSION OF MEMBERS. 



The committee on the admission of members, beg leave to sub- 

 mit the following report of their proceedings during the past year: 



The committee, in making their annual exhibit, take great pleasure 

 in announcing to the members of the Institute the unprecedented 

 number of candidates that have made application for membership 

 during the past year; never in the history of this Institution has 

 there been such an increase of members. 



In the year 1866, the number admitted vras 240; in 1867, 407; 

 being an increase of 167 over the previous year, and making for the 

 two 3'ears, 647. 



The above statement must be very gratifying to those who are 

 working so assiduously for the welfare of the Institute; such 

 increasing numbers mark a new era in the annals of the American 

 Institute; it certainly shows that the Institute is rapidly progress- 

 ing in its sphere of usefulness. 



The committee would respectfully remind the members of the 

 necessity of carefully considering the names of new candidates 

 which they endorse, and thereby make them a source of strength 

 instead of weakness to the structure which is being raised for this 

 and future generations; oftentime an increase too rapid is detri- 

 mental to a healthy growth, but if that growth is of a proper kind 

 there need be no fear of its future prosperity. 



