399 



taken many years ago to found a bureau of information, with fully 

 equipped laboratories to investigate the value of our property, but so 

 it has been, and it is the work of the Imperial Institute to carry out 

 these most valuable researches and to make the results known to all 

 the world. Starting with very limited funds Professor Dunstan has 

 developed in a few years a laboratory in which the most impor- 

 tant researches have been carried out. A glance through the report 

 shews everywhere the results already attained. Neglected minerals 

 such as the Thorianite of Ceylon, overlooked vegetable produce 

 such as fibres, oil-seeds, tan^stuffs, etc. have come into the notice 

 of manufacturers and trades in them have opened. Planters have 

 now an opportunity of having their produce valued, compared with 

 other material, defects or merits pointed out, the causes of defects 

 investigated, remedies suggested, and their commodities brought to 

 the attention of the merchants in a way which was not possible 

 before. That this has been appreciated is attested by the great 

 increase in the work of the Institute in the past year. Nearly three 

 times as many reports and letters were despatched as in the pre- 

 vious years, and this includes 222 detailed reports on special 

 investigations of various products. The following list will give an 

 idea of what has been done in the past year and is still being 

 done: — 



Samples examined and 



Samples 





reported on. 



being investigat 



Minerals ... 



... 549 



... 353 



Foods and Fodders 



45 W 



... 60 



Volatile oils 



... 4 



1 



Tan stuffs 



... 9 



... 16 



Dyes 



4 





Gums 



1 



■•• 3 



Resins 



8 



••• 3 



Tobaccos ... 



1 



... 15 



Fibres 



... 166 



... 96 



Rubbers ... 



... 35 



30 



Drugs 



... 30 



... 46 



Insect pests 



... 16 





Timbers ... 



... 7 



... 21 



Oils and Oil seed 



... 23 



... 15 



Animal products 



... 23 





921 



629 



From the Malay Peninsula have been sent minerals, fibres, 

 rubbers and essential oils and perfumes. Of the latter the Director 

 reports they are of excellent quality and it is probable that this may 

 prove to be an important industry. 



Besides the work of investigation, the collections of Economic 

 products have been improved and increased, the library re-arranged 

 and kept up as well as funds would permit and has been constantly 

 used not only by the staff for reference but also by numerous officers 

 from the Colonies at home on leave who were pursuing further 

 investigations on various products of their Colony. 



