The Washington herald., 1908-03-14
CARNEGIE INSTITUTION
By FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

When Andrew Carnegie-foresighted
man that he is-gave Sl0,00OOoO for the
founding of the Carnegie Institution Of
Washington, he did not himself realize
fully the far-reaching work Il was des-
tined 10 accomplish Likewise to-day
the public az large has but a vague idea
of what the institution is doing. Found
ed 70 conduct, endow. and assist inves-
tigation in any department OF science.
literature, or art and 20 this end 20 CO.
| operate with governments, universities,
colleges. technical schools learned So
eieties, and individuals. its chief objects.
in the words OF the founder, were ITO Sc
/ cure. If possible. for the Gr1red States,
leadership in the domain OF discovery
and the utilization Of new forces for the
! benefit Of mankind"
Under this broad charter, headed by
men of the largest caliber and directed
by others who are the leaders OF thought
! in their respective lines. the work OF
the institution has assumed definite shape.
and is now being carried forward as rap
! idly rs the eNactions OF patient, careful.
and thorough research viii admit. The
| institution was founded I'm 1852. and very
naturally. 70 has taken several years TO
get all of the details Of the great work
/ into operation. Though nearly every
/ one OF the eleven great departments has
I thus far been engaged principally IN lay
( ing the foundations for the serious work
/ OF the future. enough has already been
/ accomplished 90 give earnest 81 what
may be expected. and 20 demonstrate
/ that no other agency at work IN the whole
/ scientific world promises as many and
as important results IN the time 20 come
as the Investigations and research under
/ the auspices Of the Carnegie Institution.
/ Generally speaking. the combined ef-
I fort of those wbO are carrying on their
work through the bounty OF the institu-
/ ton represents the greatest organized
/ inCursion into the realms Of science ever
undertaken by man.
The work of the institution has grown
/ so that ii now requires practically the
| entire income to support the enterprises
already under way. This growth is at
| tested by the rapid extension Of research
work In all the departments and by the
/ enlarging needs Of that carried on by in
/ dividual investigators What progress
/ has been made is only preparatory 20 the
Z
all Of its branches the investigations are
SO fruitful and full Of promise that Pres
\ ident Woodward is concerned over the
prospect Of finding sufficient means for
\ the publication Of results Efforts are
/ being made TO keep down the expenses
/ of publication BY limiting the number of
/ copies Of each volume issued SO rigid
\ have the demands become that the usual
I edition Of the publications or the instiH-
/ ton is limited 10 1000 copies. and only
1 the leading Libraries of the world are sup
Piled with copies II has been arranged
/ that the public can buy the publications
/ Of the institution at the mere cost OF
/ publication and transportation TO pur-
| chasers.
/ There are eleven principal departments
| in the Institution Each OF these is lib
orally provided for and given ample op-
/ portunity to make the most OF its inves-
I LEGATIONS. One Of the most interesting of
/ these departments is that of botanical
! research. II has a laboratory and ex-
! pertinent station at Tucson. Ariz- The
/ duty Of this department is by expert
ment. observation. and measurement. to
! determine the conditions OF growth, de-
yelOpment distribution. migration. and
variation Of plant life, particularly In
\ the desert regions of the country. The
| location is said 10 approximate the ideal
/ in furnishing every condition OF SOIL. cli-
mate, elevation, &c, which affect vege-
/ tatiOn.
/ One Of the most remarkable things aC-
complished in the whole field Of research
and experiment was the reproduction OF a
new species of plant by the application
/ of chemical fluids 70 the parent plant