312 REPORT— 1898. 



as the principal product of the action of nitric acid on dibromobeta- 

 naphthol, is converted by alkali into a dibromohydroxyalphanaphtho- 

 quinone, and therefore does not contain a bromine atom in position 4. 

 As the dibromoquinone melting at 150°, obtained from the tribromo- 

 naphthol melting at 155°, is converted by alkali into a condensation 

 product, it appears probable that the tribromonaphthol from which it is 

 derived is the 1:2:4:3' compound. The writer is indebted to Mr. 

 W. A. Davis for carrying out these experiments. 



Mr. Davis has obtained interesting results by comparatively studying 

 the amounts of ether formed on Itoiling the various naphthol derivatives 

 with alcohol and sulphuric acid. Whilst betanaphthol gives as much as 

 85 per cent, of the amount of ether indicated by theory, 1 bromobeta- 

 naphtliol yields only about 10 per cent., and an even smaller proportion is 

 obtained from 1 ; 3' dibromobetanaphthol, although 3' bromobetanaphthol 

 yields about 70 per cent, of the theoretical amount of ether. A single 

 chlorine atom in position 1 exercises about the same influence as a single 

 bromine atom, but 1 : 3 dichlorobetanaphthol and the tribromonaphthol 

 melting at 155° are entirely unaffected by boiling with alcohol and sul- 

 phuric acid. 



The Promotion of Agriculture. — Interim Report of thi Committee, con- 

 sisting of Sir John Evans {Chairman), Professor H. E. Arm- 

 strong (Secretary), Professor M. Foster, Professor Marshall 

 Ward, Sir J. H. Gilbert, Right Hon. J. Bryce, Professor J. W. 

 Robertson, Dr. W. Saunders, Professor Mills, Professor J. 

 Mavor, Professor R. Warington, Professor Poulton, and Mr. 

 S. U. Pickering, appointed to report on the Means by vjhich in 

 Various Coimtries Agricidture is ad,vanced by Research, by Special 

 Educational Institutions, and by the Dissemination of Inforination 

 and Advice among Agricidturists. 



The Committee was appointed at the Toronto Meeting, largely in conse- 

 quence of the deep impression produced by the visits paid by members of 

 the Association to the Canadian Agricultural Experimental Stations, and 

 by the evidence there afforded of the value of the support given by the 

 Government to Agriculture. The object in view is to prepare an account 

 of the work done in Canada, in the United States of Amei'ica, and in 

 Europe in promoting Agriculture by special educational institutions, by 

 research, by experimental demonstrations, and by the dissemination of 

 information among farmers and others. Such an account will serve to 

 draw attention by contrast to the backwardness of this country in such 

 matters, and to the directions in which it is desirable that efforts should 

 be made. The task is necessarily a difficult one, as it involves the collec- 

 tion and discussion of the very extensive literature of the subject, besides 

 much personal inquiry. Although much information has already been 

 collected it is not yet possible to present a report that will effect the 

 desired purpose ; nor was it supposed that such a report could be pre- 

 pared within a year. It is therefore requested that the Committee be 

 reappointed. 



