908 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XIV. No. 363. 



among men ' — the Congress has from time 

 to time given it other important functions. 

 Such trusts have been executed by the 

 institution with notable fidelity. There 

 should be no halt in the work of the insti- 

 tution, in accordance with the plans which 

 its secretary has presented, for the preser- 

 vation of the vanishing races of great North 

 American animals in the National Zoolog- 

 ical Park. The urgent needs of the Na- 

 tional Museum are recommended to the 

 favorable consideration of the Congress. 



THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 



Perhaps the most characteristic educa- 

 tional movement of the past fifty years is 

 that which has created the modern public 

 library and developed it into broad and ac- 

 tive service. There are now over five 

 thousand public libraries in the United 

 States, the product of this period. In ad- 

 dition to accumulating material, they are 

 also striving, by organization, by improve- 

 ment in method and by cooperation, to 

 give greater efficiency to the material they 

 hold, to make it more widely useful, and by 

 avoidance of unnecessary duplication in 

 process to reduce the cost of its administra- 

 tion. In these efforts they naturally look 

 for assistance to the Federal Library, 

 which, though still the Library of Con- 

 gress, and so entitled, is the one na- 

 tional library of the United States. Al- 

 ready the largest single collection of books 

 on the Western Hemisphere, and certain to 

 increase more rapidly than any other 

 through purchase, exchange and the opera- 

 tion of the copyright law, this library has 

 a unique opportunity to render to the li- 

 braries of this country — to American schol- 

 arship — service of the highest importance. 

 It is housed in a building which is the 

 largest and most magnificent yet erected 

 for library uses. Eesources are now being 

 provided which will develop the collection 

 properly, equip it with apparatus and ser- 



vice necessary to its effective use, render 

 its bibliographic work widely available, 

 and enable it to become not merely a 

 center of research, but the chief factor in 

 great cooperative efforts for the diffusion of 

 knowledge and the advancement of learn- 

 ing. 



A PERMANENT CENSUS BUREAU. 



For the sake of good administration, 

 sound economy and the advancement of 

 science, the Census Office as now consti- 

 tuted should be made a permanent Govern- 

 ment bureau. This would insure better, 

 cheaper and more satisfactory work, in the 

 interest not only of our business, but of 

 statistic, economic and social science. 



THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FOR- 

 ESTRY AND IRRIGATION. 



The Department of Agriculture during 

 the past fifteen years has steadily broadened 

 its work on economic lines, and has accom- 

 plished results of real value in upbuilding 

 domestic and foreign trade. It has gone 

 into new fields until it is now in touch with 

 all sections of our country and with two of 

 the island groups that have lately come 

 under our jurisdiction, whose people must 

 look to agriculture as a livelihood. It is 

 searching the world for grains, grasses, 

 fruits and vegetables specially fitted for in- 

 troduction into localities in the several 

 states and territories where they may add 

 materially to our resources. By scientific 

 attention to soil survey and possible new 

 crops, to breeding of new varieties of plants, 

 to experimental shipments, to animal in- 

 dustry and applied chemistry, very prac- 

 tical aid has been given our farming and 

 stock-growing interests. The products of 

 the farm have taken an unprecedented 

 place in our export trade during the year 

 that has just closed. 



Public opinion throughout the United 

 States has moved steadily toward a just 

 appreciation of the value of forests, whether 



