afterwards became most fruitful and have resulted in important government work, such as the present Weather Bureau, among others. The beginning of cooperation in library work was at this institution. At the same time many—we might almost say most—of the present scientific activities of the government have grown out of it or been stimulated by it. Experiments in fog signaling, in the acoustics and ventilation of public buildings, and in numerous other subjects, were inaugurated. In fact, in these earlier days, with one or two exceptions,
founder of the smithsonian institution.
the Smithsonian was the sole representative of active scientific work directly or indirectly connected with the United States government. Its influence upon the character of private scientific work, too, was very great, since half a century or more ago the avenues for publishing were few, and the funds for the purpose slender.
Gradually, out of the collections which had been kept in the Patent Office, the private collections of Smithson, and of appropriations of
