by a Board of Regents composed of the VicePresident of the United States, the Chief Justice, three members of the Senate, three members of the House of Representatives and six citizens, no two of whom may be from the same state, though two must be residents of the District of Columbia. The executive officer of the Smithsonian Institute is the secretary, chosen by the Regents. A beautiful building was built on the Mall, and situated as it is in a park, this structure forms one of the architectural attractions of the city.

The motive underlying the bequest was the desire "to increase knowledge; to stimulate men of talent to make original researches, by offering suitable rewards for memoirs containing new truths; to appropriate annually a portion of the income for particular researches under the direction of suitable persons," and "to diffuse knowledge; to publish a series of periodical reports on the progress of different branches of knowledge; and to publish occasionally separate treaties on subjects of general interest."

The publications of all these series are distributed gratuitously to important public

libraries throughout the world, thus aiding greatly in the diffusion of knowledge. Congress has, from time to time, added to the duties of this Institution. It was made the depository for scientific books. It was made the custodian, and the only lawful place of deposit, of all objects of art and of foreign and curious research, and all objects of natural history, plants and geological and mineralogical specimens belonging to the United States. These collections are known as the National Museum.

A large number of works of art having been given the nation, the Institution was declared to be the National Gallery of Art and the recipient of all such donations.

In the early history of the establishment, scientific study of the American Indian was undertaken. From these researches has grown the Bureau of American Ethnology, an important division of the work of the Institution. Another Bureau is that of the International Exchange, by means of which any scientist of recognized standing, whether in the United States or elsewhere, may send, without expense to himself, any material of a scientific

nature, including books, to any other scientist who is within reach of the system. While not a federal university, it is doing much of the work that would be done by such an institution, having eighty-two men on its scientific staff.

In 1902, Mr. Carnegie gave twelve millions of dollars to found in Washington, in the spirit of Washington, a university without students, which "with the co-operation of institutions now or hereafter established, there or elsewhere, shall, in the broadest and most liberal manner, encourage investigation, research and discovery, encourage the application of knowledge to the improvement of mankind; provide such buildings, laboratories, books and apparatus as may be needed, and afford instruction of an advanced character to students whenever and wherever found, inside or outside of schools, properly qualified to profit thereby."

Congress approved and incorporated the institution in 1904.

The work carried on may

be divided into four classes:

First: large projects whose execution requires continuous research by a corps of

investigators during a series of years; second: small projects which may be carried out by individual experts in a limited period of time; third: tentative investigations, carried on by young men and women who have shown unusual aptitude for research and have desired to pursue specific problems for one or two years; fourth: the publication of the yearbooks of the institution and of certain works which would not otherwise be readily printed.

In pursuance of this plan, six laboratories for as many different fields of investigation have been constructed in different sections of the country, and an administration building is in course of construction in Washington and plans for the construction of a vessel specially designed for ocean magnetic work have been completed.

The following departments of investigation have been established: Department of Botanical Research, with headquarters at Tucson, Ariz.; Department of Marine Biology, with headquarters at Tortugas, Fla.; Departments of Historical Research and Terrestrial Magnetism, with headquarters in Washington; Geographical Laboratory, located in Washing

ton; Department of Economics and Sociology, with headquarters in Worcester, Mass.; Mount Wilson Solar Observatory, in California, and the Department of Meridian Astrometry, which is now establishing a temporary observatory in San Luis in Argentina.

The nation has devoted much attention to agricultural education and research. Agricultural societies were formed in the very beginning of the United States, having for their object the handling of fairs and the publication of books and periodicals. In 1792, a professorship for natural history, chemistry and agriculture was established in Columbia, in New York City. During the next forty years, many schools in which agriculture was taught were opened in various parts of the country. In 1853, New York opened the Peoples' College, a state agricultural and industrial school. Within a few years, three other states opened agricultural colleges.

The national connection with agricultural education began when the Department of Agriculture was formed in 1838; first as a division of the Patent Office for the purpose of distribution of valuable seeds and plants,