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REPORT OF THE CURATOR OF THE ECONOMIC 
COLLECTIONS. 
Dr. N. L. Brirron, DirecTor-tn-CHIEF. 
Sir: I have the honor to submit the following report of 
he Economic Museum for the year 1903. 
The most important events of the year in the development 
of this museum have been the installation of new cases, and 
the transfer of the care of the collections to a single experi- 
enced custodian. 
The increase in our case room is estimated at about 100 per 
cent.; but this figure does not fully state the advantage de- 
rived from the increase, since the change has involved a 
great improvement in the form of the cases. Each block, or 
set, of cases has been considerably enlarged, a change which 
allows a more effective display of sets of specimens which 
are extensive and which require a close relation throughout 
the series. The improved form of the cases has resulted in 
eliminating the interspaces which formerly existed, and which 
acted as annoying traps for the accumulation of dirt. 
e change referred to has enabled us to place on exhibi- 
tion several hundred specimens previously in storage, and to 
resume active operations looking toward farther acquisitions. 
The considerable extension of the museum thus effected, 
and that promised for the future, has made it necessary that 
some properly qualified person should be continually in 
charge, and keep himself familiar with day-to-day develop- 
ments and changes. By the readjustment of assistants ar- 
ranged by you, this important desideratum has been secured. 
Mr. J. A. Shafer, who has been appointed Custodian, 
having been educated as a pharmacist, and having had prac- 
tical experience in museum work at the Carnegie Museum of 
Pittsburg, possesses special qualifications for this work. 
The resignation in August last of our experienced printer, 
has interrupted the work of labeling new specimens, and sub- 
stituting improved labels for the temporary ones previously in 
