518 



add to this the insufficiency of oxygen in such soils, and the action 

 of the humous acids and other chemical substances which injure the 

 root and prevent its taking up water in sufficient quantity to replace 

 that lost by transpiration, we can easily see that no plant of the 

 type of Hevea can thrive or exist even for any time under such 

 circumstances, strong and adaptable as the plant appears to be in 

 these regions. 



Peat-land, after being felled and exposed for a long time to the 

 air, and drained so that much of the humous acids are washed out 

 of the soil might ( if not too deep above the underlying clays) in time 

 become a good and suitable soil for growing Para-rubber in, but it 

 would not be worth while to go to this expense and long delay. — Ed. 



THE WORK OF THE IMPERIAL INSTITUTE. 



The immense importance to Colonists throughout the Empire of 

 the Imperial Institute is very clearly shown by the report of its 

 work for the year 1908 (Colonial Reports 601. July 1909) and the 

 appreciation of its value by the Colonies is illustrated by the amount 

 and variety of produce which has during the past year been sent to 

 the Institute for examination and report, Almost every colony from 

 the largest to the smallest has sent of its productions for investiga- 

 tion, and this mass of material includes every conceivable class of 

 animal, vegetable and mineral produce. 



The Institute is now with its large staff able to analyse and 

 value such different materials as ores, clays, salt, kelp (for potash) 

 and cocaine fibres of all kinds, wool, rubbers, timbers, oils and oil 

 seeds, food grains, tan stuffs and dye stuffs, resins, gums, drugs, 

 tobacco, sponges and ostrich feathers. 



Among the substances sent from this Colony and Native States 

 were minerals, the most interesting of which were limestones 

 carrying tin, and in one case also enough phosphorus to be valuable 

 as a manure after removal of the tin; fibres, hemp, Mauritius hemp 

 and Sauseviera from Johore, Para rubber seed oil from the 

 Federated Malay States and other vegetable produce. 



The public of the Malay Peninsula does not however it appears 

 make as much use of the Institute as many of the other colonies do. 

 Probably this is because all are so satisfied with the progress of the 

 rubber industry that they have no inclination to turn their attention 

 to minor products. 



The large number of samples of fibres submitted to the Institute 

 during the year shows that at least in other parts of the Empire, 

 there is a considerable amount of interest taken in this form of 

 produce, and indeed the increasing demand for fibres of all sorts 

 makes it imperative that attention should be paid to them. The 

 Mercer's Company having made a grant for aiding in investigations 

 into fibres, a Mercer's Research Fellowship has been established the 

 holder of which is to devote himself to investigations of fibrous 



