322 



THE AGRICULTLTKAL NEWS. 



OCTOBEK 16, 1909. 



mineral and vegetable products'; and in a Centre Stand 

 in connexion with the public exhibition galleries, where 

 personal attention is given to enquirers, and publica- 

 tions are distributed. 



The Colonial and Indian collections are open free 

 to the public daily. These are very compre- 

 hensive, and, being arranged on a geographical 

 system, convenient for reference. The Library and 

 Heading Rooms give facilities for access both 

 to standard and current scientific and commercial 

 publications ; they are available for Life Fellows of the 

 Imperial Institute, as well as for others who have 

 obtained a proper introduction. 



The Scientific and Technical Department was 

 established for the purpose of making expert enquiry 

 into the properties and possible uses of new or 

 unexploited natural products from the Colonies and 

 India, and of giving trustworthy scientific advice on 

 matters connected with industries that are already well 

 established in those parts of the world. This work 

 is by no means of the nature of a merely academic type 

 of investigation. It is technical, and is directed with 

 the chief aim of becoming useful commerciall}'. Its 

 scope cannot be indicated better than by quoting from 

 the Report already cited : 'Materials are first investi- 

 gated in the research laboratories of the department, and 

 are afterwards submitted to fiirthsr technical trials by 

 manufacturers and other experts, and finally are com- 

 mercially valued.' This work is chiefly initiated by the 

 Home and Colonial Governments and the Government 

 of India. It may also be undertaken for British repre- 

 sentatives abroad, through the medium of the Foreign 

 Office. Investigations on behalf of private individuals 

 are only made under special circumstances. Other 

 means for increasing the effectiveness of this department 

 are the maintenance of a sample room by it, where 

 samples of the products which have been dealt with up 

 to the present are kept; co-operative work with the Agri- 

 cultural and Jlines Departments in the Colonies; mineral 

 surveys under the supervision of the Director ; and 

 an-angements by which the operations of the Agri- 

 cultural Departments in West Africa are correlated with 

 the work of the Imj)erial Institute. 



The Bulletm of tin' Impcr'ud Institufc is, as has 

 been stated, published ipiarterly. Its scope may be 

 indicated by reference to the contents of a recent 

 number (Vol. VII, No. 2). These included : Recent 

 investigations in regard to food grains, cotton, fibres, 

 rubber, and graphite ; general notices regarding the 

 occurrence, use and development of economic products 

 siich as tungsten ores, peppermint oil, silk from the 

 Tussore silkworm, and cacao ; general notes in connexion 



with various publications and with samples that have 

 been submitted for examination ; summaries of recent 

 reports and other publications received at the Imperial 

 Institute from Agricultural and Technical Departments 

 in the Colunies and India, as well as of general Colonial 

 and Indian publications; notices of recent scientific 

 literature ; and a Ijst of recent additions to the Library. 

 Thii wiJl serve tp show the wide range of subjects 

 dealt with in the 'Bulletin. The Centre Stand for the 

 facilitation of the distribution of literature and the 

 provision of personal attention and advice contains 

 a supply of pamphlets, circidars, hand-books etc., which 

 are intended to be of use chiefly to the scientfic 

 or commercial enijuirer, and to the intending emigrant. 



From a less general point of view, other interests 

 that are served by the Imperial Institute are those 

 of the administrative departments in East and West 

 Africa, and of representatives from the Colonies or 

 India who may require room for meetings or receptions 

 in London. In regard to the first, special courses in 

 tropical hygiene, law, accounting and tropical resources 

 are provided for candidates who have been selected 

 for administrative appointments in East and West 

 Africa, instruction being given in the last subject by 

 members of the Scientific Staff of the Institute. 



Lentil the end of 1902, the Imperial Institute was 

 managed by a Governing Body and an Executive 

 Council, on the latter of which the Indian Empire and 

 all the British Colonies and Dependencies were 

 represented. After this, its management was trans- 

 ferred by Act of Parliament to the Board of Trade, 

 assisted by an Advisory Committee. This Com- 

 mittee includes representatives of the Colonies and 

 India, and of the Colonial and India Offices, the 

 Board of Agriculture and the Board of Trade. During 

 last year, great progress was made in improving the 

 Colonial and Indian Collections. This was effected 

 by reorganization and the receipt of fresh exhibits, the 

 arrival in London of exhibits from all parts of the 

 British Empire for display at the Franco-British 

 Exhibition at Shepherd's Bush affording an especially 

 good opportunity for replenishment. 



Special recognition of the assistance given by (he 

 Imperial Institute has been shown during the past 

 year in the action of the Transvaal tiovernment in 

 considerably increasing its previous subscription, and in 

 that of the Government of the Australian Common- 

 wealth in announcing its intention of contributing 

 toward its funds. Gratifying as these incidents are, 

 no better testimony as to the value of this institution 

 is required than that which is aftbrded by the recogni- 

 tion of the scope and tboroughncss of its work. 



