66 Report of the President 



important preliminary step in the development of the Forestry 

 Hall. Plans are matured for the addition of various exhibits 

 in the alcoves of the hall to show practical facts connected 

 with forest conservation versus destruction as affecting water 

 supply and the country's agriculture and industries. 



The department has extended information and identifica- 

 tion of specimens to inquirers of many sorts, such as teachers, 

 architects, industrial engineers and inspectors of creosoting 

 plants. A collector has been sent to the field in New York 

 State to get data, photographs and utensils for use in the 

 construction of a small group illustrative of primitive methods 

 in the maple sugar industry. Several offers of valuable small 

 collections of foreign woods, such as that by Mr. John L. 

 Phillips of New York City of a collection of Santo Domingo 

 woods with flowers and fruits, are awaiting possible space 

 arrangements for the same. 



The Leaflet on Forestry, based on the Jesup Collection, 

 came from press early in the year. That there exists a settled 

 interest in forestry among the people in America, in pulp in- 

 dustry questions at present of international importance, and in 

 forest preservation in New York with the consequent increase 

 in water supply, is proved by the rapid sale of this leaflet, 

 which aims to set forth in a simple way the principles under- 

 lying the necessity for the forestry movement. 



In addition to departmental work, the editorship of the 

 American Museum Journal and Guide Leaflets has been carried. 



THE LIBRARY 

 Ralph W. Tower, Curator 



Department of Books and Publications. — The value 

 and use of the Library have been greatly augmented during 

 the year by many important gifts of books and by many ad- 

 ditions to the equipment. Especially noteworthy has been 

 the presentation of the Bickmore library by Professor A. S. 

 Bickmore and his wife, Charlotte B. Bickmore. This library is 

 a remarkably fine collection of selected works in anthropology, 

 travel and natural history. It is very fitting that the Museum 

 should come into possession of this excellent collection, since 



