rs pertaining to the
granting of patents for useful inventions, discoveries, and
improvements.

A _patent_ gives the inventor the exclusive right to manufacture, sell,
and use the patented article for a period of seventeen years.

A _copyright_, which is somewhat similar to a patent, gives the author
of a book the exclusive right to print, publish, and sell it for a
period of twenty-eight years, with the privilege at the expiration of
that time of renewing for twenty-eight years more.

An inventor or author may sell a patent or copyright, as well as other
property.

The _commissioner of education_ investigates the condition and progress
of education in the several States and Territories, and collects
information relating to schools, school systems, and methods of
teaching. The facts collected are distributed among the people in
annual reports published by the office.

The _director of the geological survey_ sends out parties of scientific
men, who explore various parts of the Union, trace the sources of
rivers, measure the heights of lands, and gather other facts relating
to the natural resources of the country. He publishes excellent maps
of the regions that have been explored.

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.--The attorney-general presides over the
department of justice. He is the chief law officer of the government,
and the legal adviser of all the departments. He is assisted by the
solicitor-general, who is the second officer in rank; by nine assistant
attorney-generals, and by several solicitors for particular
departments. The department of justice conducts before the supreme
court all suits to which the United States is a party; conducts suits
arising in any of the departments, when requested by the head thereof;
exercises supervision over the district attorneys and marshals of the
United States district courts; examines the titles of lands proposed to
be purchased by the United States, as sites for forts, arsenals,
barracks, dockyards, customhouses, post-offices, and other public
purposes; examines and reports upon applications for judicial offices
and other positions requiring legal ability.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.--The department of agriculture was
reorganized in 1889. Previous to that time it had been a bureau of the
interior department. The secretary of agriculture is the chief officer
of the department of agriculture.

This department collects and diffuses among the people useful knowledge
relat