118 SCIENTIFIC REPORTS OF THE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH 



in the country it was most desirable tliat there should be a central 

 organization where reliable information, advice, and assistance 

 could be had. 



It will thus be seen._ that the formation of this office was a 

 natural evolution of the series of steps which the Government had 

 already taken for the improvement of the Indian sugarcane 

 industry. The appointment of the Indian Sugar Committee during 

 the year by the Government of India with the Secretary of State's 

 approval marks a further step in the same direction. It is expected 

 that the Committee will submit definite recommendations as to the 

 Sugar Bureau's constitution and functions, its. relation to the 

 provinces, and where it should be located. 



The first piece of work undertaken by me was the collection 

 and indexing of all available literature on the subject published in 

 India, sifting the masses of information available in various offices 

 and arranging 1 them in a form convenient for reference. Much 

 progress has been made in this direction, but it was impossible to 

 pay undivided attention to this part of the work as numerous corre- 

 spondents began to seek advice as soon as the office was established 

 and I was in charge of the duties of the post of Imperial Agricul- 

 turist up to 4th January, 1920, and was also appointed a member of 

 the Indian Sugar Committee. Enquiries relating to sugar and 

 sugarcane began also to be transferred to this office by the Agricul- 

 tural Adviser to the Government of India, the Government Sugar- 

 cane Expert, Director-General of Commercial Intelligence, and other 

 officers. The enquiries range from mere requests for statistical in- 

 formation regarding acreage, yield of sugarcane per acre and im- 

 ports of sugar in India, to varieties of cane, methods of cultivation, 

 manures required, localities where sugar factories can be put up, 

 the machinery required and how to get it, etc. 



As it is most essential to have an up-to-date library for a central 

 place of reference like this, steps have been taken to lay the founda- 

 tions of one which will grow in future. During the year under 

 review 1,448 volumes have been received either by purchase, ex- 

 change, or free supply, and they are being continually added to. 

 Scientific and other periodicals bearing on this industry are being 

 subscribed for. 



During the year under report I placed myself in touch with 

 almost all the sugar experiment stations of the world, the principal 

 sugar machinery manufacturers in Great Britain and the United 

 States of America. In India I am in touch with all the sugar 

 factories and also with the officers of the provincial Departments 

 of Agriculture connected with sugar and sugarcane. 



