SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 
council meeting of the new Institute of Engineers of Australia, which 
has agreed to the Institute’s proposals for the establishment of an 
Engineering Standards Association. A recommendation on this matter 
will be made to the Government at an early date. The Institute 
has been asked to undertake the preparation of standard specifications 
(1) for cement, and (2) for carriage and waggon builders’ materials, 
and the necessary information is being collected with a view to con- 
vening standardization conferences on these two matters. 
Urinizarion or Knrp. 
A Special Committee in Tasmania has coneluded its work upon the 
utilization of kelp. The conclusions are negative, and there is no im- 
mediate likelihood of the utilization of kelp industrially. 
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Forest Propucrs. 
Arrangements are being made for the extension of forest products 
investigations. The New South Wales Forestry Commissioners have 
agreed to co-operate with the Institute, and a scheme of work is being 
prepared. Mr. I. H. Boas, who has visited forest products laboratories 
in America, Europe, and India on behalf of this Institute and the 
Western Australian State Government, returned to Perth on the 26th 
December, 1919. A report is in course of preparation. 
Carrie Tic. 
The Special Committee in Queensland on the Cattle Tick has com- 
pleted its work in regard to the life history of the cattle tick, and has 
presented a preliminary report. Results have been obtained of much 
importance in connexion with the question of quarantine and steps 
to be taken for eradicating the tick. The results were published in 
Science and Industry, No. 7. The New South Wales and Queensland 
Governments have agreed to co-operate with the Institute in investiga- 
tions on cattle tick dips. The work will be carried out in Queensland. 
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Castor Bras. 
Experimental work with a view to establishing the cultivation of 
castor beans in Australia has been initiated by the Institute in ¢o- 
operation with the Queensland Acclimatisation Society. 
Viricutrurat PRoBLEMS. — 
All the necessary arrangements haye now been completed, and a 
commencement has been made with the problems embraced in the 
scheme of viticultural investigations to be carried out by the Institute 
in co-operation with the Mildura and District Research Committee. 
The problems include physical and chemical, as well as pathological and 
entomological research, and are directed to the discovery of remedial 
measures for some of the more serious troubles that afflict the vignerons 
of Australia. Information on this matter was published in Science 
“and Industry, No. 8. The Institute is also considering proposals made 
by leading wine-growers for investigations on the cultivation of yeasts 
and certain bacterial problems affecting the wine industry. at 
38 
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