The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-07-21

tuti0n acts as an international clear ing house for scientific and other ht- erature. It 10 through these exchanges that men of science in this country are kept continually in touch with the work of investigators in other parts of the world and through which other investigators are informed of the work and discoveries of American research CTS. The exchange system now includes correspondents in every civilized part of the world, numbering in 'all above sixty thousand. working in unison with other international exchange systems in other countries. The Smithsonian Institution is at present using its in- f1uence with a view to securing the es- tablishment of like systems in Eng land and Germany.
 The International Catalogue of Scientific Literature ts an interest which the Institution has recently made an Independent branch of its work. In cooperation with other na- ttons, every scientific publication in the world is classified and placed on rec ord according to an international code The catalogue is invaluable to special tsts engaged in scientific research, for by its help the work and results or every man at all connected with sci ence in a civilized nation may be con- suited with comparative case. ..
 In the Astrophysical Observatory, established in 1890. the Institution ha4 Q department which for a long time was unique in the United States Treat ing the physics rather than the math- ematics of astronomy-what was call ed the new astronomy-the whole en- ergy and skill of it's stan are given over to a study of solr- radiation and similar problems. Tue practical value of this work is e, dent from the re- suits obtained showing a tangible ana determinable relationship between the amount of heat given on by the sun Ill . season and the temperature Of the earth during the following season, the details of which are set forth in the an- nals of the observatory. the second vol tune of which Is about to be published. Measurements in Washington and at Mount Wilson. Calif.. of wNnS h known as the solar constant" the reflection of clouds, and the amount of sky ra- diation, are experiments which. worked out may well be incorporated in the routine of the Weather Bureau. MT. Ab- bolt, who is in charge of the observa- tory. besides studying the solar eclipse next January, intends beginning the investigation of the radiation of tne earth to space, by measuring tho transmission of our atmosphere for the rays of great wave length which are emitted by a body at the temperature of the earth. This is to be done py observing the solar spectrum and by observing tranNpission of rays from bodies at high temperatures through layers of air of considerable length and of varying water vapor contents.
 And finally there comes under the supervision of the Smithsonian Instt- tuition the National Geological Pask' which, while of great popular interest is at the same time very valuable to students of biology in all its forms. Over a thousand animals. gifts ana purchases from very many sources. are now housed in the park. which com prises a hundred and sixty-sevsn acres of hilly wooded land two miles from the center of Washington. the beauti- full driveway of many who come to the Capital to live. In designing the park the animals are retained in surround ings as nearly natural as has been found compatible with safety. It Is the plan of Dr. Frank Baker. supeT- intendent of the park to construct within the year a much-needed special observatory building and to make a number of other Improvements to the park both with . view to rendering the governments charges more comfort able and to adding to the beauty of the grounds. While the proper exhibition and care of the animals is the cl'ef op- ject of the park. ofiicials. experiments in breeding to secure hardier domes- tic beasts might well fall within the proper scope of their work.