90 



Kew. Most of them 



but tlie young plants survived the winter and grew vigorously 

 during the summer of 1918. N. Dombeyi is known to the 

 Chileans as " Coigue " and is described by Mr. Elwes as a 



" fine beech, verj 



slope 



of the Andes up to about 5000-6000 ft. altitude in the neighbour- 

 hood of the Baths of Chilian." As N. antarctica grows in the 

 same region at similar altitudes, one might conclude that N. 

 Dombeyi ought to be as hardy as that species. It is, however, 

 evergreen, a character which is often correlated with greater 

 tenderness. The plants at Kew have been protected so far. but 

 it is intended to try them in the open ground next spring. Mr. 

 Elwes found trees below the Baths of Chilian with trunks 22 to 

 27 ft. in srirth at 5 ft. from ground -level. 



Museums. — The record for the past year is practically the 

 same as for 1917. Additions to the collections have not been 

 numerous and but few duplicates have been available for distri- 

 bution. The staff has been fully occupied in dealing with a 

 considerable number of varied vegetable products received from 

 Government Departments, commercial firms, &c, for identifi- 

 cation, and much general information bearing upon the products 

 has been supplied. 



Although details cannot be given, it should be recorded that 

 many of the subjects dealt with have been of a confidential 



J -r— — -^ — — - 



have been fully utilised. 



museum 



In several directions the permanent collections have been 

 improved and the re-labelling in Museum No. 1 has gone on 

 steadily. The release of two additional museum porters from 

 the Army during the year has now made it possible for all the 

 museums to be re-opened to the public. J. M. n. 



Research in Jodrell Laboratory in 1918, — Mr. J. Bintner 



made some further observations on the development of callus- 

 tissue and the formation of roots in cuttings. 



Mr. L. A. Boodle continued the study of some developmental 

 stages of the ovule of Typhonodorum, and carried out other 

 anatomical investigations. 



Miss M. S. G. Breeze examined the pollen of several plants in 

 relation to the sterility of certain hybrids, &c. 



Mr. W. C. Worsdell completed bis anatomical study of the 

 Cov\po sitae, and continued that of some other families. 



Pathological Laboratory. — On account of the decision to 



separate the Board's administrative and advisory work from 

 research, there was a tendency in 1918 for workers to confine 



to 



aeres 



of the re- 



search and applied aspects of pathology prevented this from 

 being exclusively the case. 



