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^[[1 copy SF. 10-16-85.]]
^[[JYB 1 copy RH}
^[[Reb 1885]]
^[[Jan-June [[underline]] 1885 [[/underline]] ]]
^[[Regents]]
^[[K3 upper]]
[[purple stamp]] EXAMINED BY MR. RATHBUM MARCH 1913 [[/purple stamp]]

Mr. G. Brown Goode

Assistant Director, U.S. National Museum.

Dear Sir:- I send you herewith my report of the operations of my departments during six months of the year 1885, from January to June, inclusive.

Respectfully
R. Hitchcock

October 12th 1885.

During the first six months of the year 1885 especial attention has been given to the exhibit of textile fibres and fabrics, which has been largely increased by donations from abroad, but especially through collections made by myself while preparing for the exhibition at New Orleans.  The object of these collections is twofold; first, to afford an exhibit of the various textile fibres available for use in this country and abroad, with specimens of [[strikethrough]] materials [[/strikethrough]] articles made therefrom, such as cloth, rope, twine, mats. etc.; second to provide a series of specimens of every fibre that can be used in the arts, to be used for scientific examination, tests of tensil strength, and especially to serve as type specimens for the identification of other fibres by microscopical examination.

A number of collections that have been received are worthy of special mention; among these a particularly fine set of fibres from Brazil, collected by Dr. J. Charles Berrini, of Quissaman, who has devoted unusual care and labor to the work.  All the textile fibres in the Department of Agriculture Museum were placed in my charge during January, and from this collection some valuable specimens have been selected and placed on exhibition.  Mr. George W. Bond, of Boston, has [[strikethrough]] presented [[/strikethrough]] ^[[selected]] [[strikethrough]] prepared [[/strikethrough]] a large collection of native and foreign wools, from samples belonging to the U.S. Customs Department, which have been prepared for exhibition; but they are not yet to be seen in the museum, as the cases for mounting them are not [[strikethrough]] yet [[/strikethrough]] ready. 

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