EDITORIAL. 
383 
to  supplying  human  food.  Another  is  the  Cultivation  of  Cinchona,  being 
a  report  on  the  subject  by  Dr.  Thomas  Antisell,  who,  after  giving  the  re- 
sults of  the  English  and  Dutch  efforts  in  India,  advocates  the  attempt 
being  made  in  the  Sierra  Nevada  region  of  California.  Whilst  various 
nations  are  thus  making  praiseworthy  efforts  to  propagate  this  useful  ge- 
nus of  medicinal  plants,  it  does  not  appear  that  any  political  influence  has 
been  given  by  other  nations  to  induce  the  South  American  republics  to 
use  their  authority  to  restore  the  fast  disappearing  forests  of  cinchona. 
Would  it  not  present  a  legitimate  subject  for  diplomatic  influence  by  the 
ministers  of  other  nations,  on  the  score  of  humauity? 
Annual  Report  of  the  Board  of  Regents  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution; 
showing  the  operations,  expenditures,  and  condition  of  the  Institution 
for  the  year  1866.    Washington,  1867  :  pp.469,  octavo  ;  being  miscella- 
neous document  No.  83,  published  by  the  39th  Congress,  second  session. 
From  Mr.  Daniel  S.  Fox,  of  Washington,  D.  C. 
Annual  Report  of  the  Commissioner  of  Patents  for  the  year  1866,  in  three 
volumes,  pp.  2741,  octavo.    Washington,  Government  Printing  Office, 
1867.    From  Mr.  Daniel  S.  Fox,  of  Washington,  D.  C. 
The  Trustees  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution  again  offer  their  annual  re- 
port.   Prof.  Henry,  in  his  report,  informs  that  the  fund,  by  the  good 
management  of  the  Trustees,  is  now  nearly  $150,000  more  than  the  origi- 
nal bequest;  that  the  library  of  the  Institution  has  been  transferred  to 
the  library  of  Congress,  which,  while  it  curtails  in  some  measure  the  per- 
sonal convenience  of  the  investigators  immediately  connected  with  the 
Institution,  really  gives  them  the  advantages  of  the  great  library  of  Con- 
gress, which,  including  the  recent  purchase  of  the  collection  of  Mr. 
Force,  is  the  largest  library  in  the  United  States.    The  measure  receives 
the  approval  of  Professor  Henry,  who  would  also  like  to  see  the  museum 
transferred  to  other  auspices,  so  that  the  whole  proceeds  of  the  fund 
might  be  disposed  of  for  the  "  increase  and  diffusion  of  knowledge  among 
men."    That  Congress  will  eventually  gather  all  the  collections  in  one 
extensive  national  museum,  will  probably  be  the  ultimate  result. 
The  reconstruction  of  the  building  has  been  carried  on  during  the  past 
year  "  as  rapidly  as  a  due  regard  to  the  character  of  the  work  would 
allow."  The  publications  issued  by  the  Institution  have  been  as  exten- 
sive as  usual,  and  include  astronomical,  geological  and  natural  historical 
researches  and  observations. 
The  system  of  international  scientific  and  literary  exchanges,  so  long 
and  usefully  carried  on,  has  been  maintained  during  the  year,  1170 
packages  being  sent  abroad,  and  over  8000  received  in  return.  Many 
other  features  of  the  report  claim  notice,  but  our  space  will  not  admit  of 
further  remark  than  to  express  the  hope  that  this  valuable  Institution 
may  long  continue  to  extend  its  influence  for  the  benefit  of  all  men. 
The  two  first  volumes  of  the  Patent  Office  Report  are  a  descriptive 
catalogue  of  the  patents  of  1866  ;  whilst  the  third  volume,  of  1096  pages, 
