ACTIVITIES OF THE INSTITUTE. 
XanrHorRU@A Resin. 
The Special Committee in South Australia which is making a 
fundamental investigation into the composition of Xanthorrhwa resin 
has completed the first stage of its work. An investigation of this 
nature is necessary as the first step towards the commercial utilization 
of the resin. The results obtained are of a highly technical nature, and 
will be published in the Journal of the Society of Chemical Industry, 
‘London. 
Corron GRowINa. 
The question as to what steps should be taken to develop the culti- 
vation of cotton in Australia has been carefully considered, and the 
advice was obtained of the Queensland State Committee and of the 
Queensland Department of Agriculture and Stock. A recommendation 
was made that the Commonwealth should guarantee a price of 4d. per 
Ib. for seed cotton grown in 1920. This recommendation was approved. 
Steps have been taken to obtain for experimental purposes from the 
United States of America, the West Indies, and Egypt samples of 
cotton seed free from insect pests and anthracnose or bacterial blight. 
Tannina INvestTicArrons. 
Important progress has been made in the work whith is being carried 
out in co-operation with the Sydney Technical College to devise stan- 
dard and up-to-date methods of tanning. A report has been prepared 
for publication as one of the Institute’s bulletins. Further, the Special 
Committee in Queensland has devised a method of getting rid of the 
objectionable red colour in mangrove tanning. The question of carry- 
ing out further large seale experiments is under consideration. It is 
anticipated that results of much value to the tanning industry will be 
obtained. 
Paper Purp. 
Valuable results having been obtained from experimental work on 
paper pulp from Karri, the executive has recommended that a grant 
of £150 be made for experiments on the pulping qualities of jarrah to 
be carried out under the Western Australian Conservator of Forests. 
Srock DisnaszEs. 
- Professor Dakin, University, Western ‘Australia, has undertaken 
during his forthcoming visit to Europe to obtain complete information 
for the Institute regarding investigations on the Braxy diseases of sheep, 
and arrangements have been made to carry out investigations at the 
Melbourne University Veterinary School on certain aspects of con- 
tagious abortion in cattle. Proposals made in a despateh from -the 
Colonial Secretary have been carefully considered, and a recommenda- 
tion made for the appointment of representatives of the Commonwealth 
on the Committee of the Imperial Bureau of Mycology. 
Coxrerencr or Screnrreic Bopres. 
_ During September a large and representative conference of delegates 
from over thirty scientific, industrial, commercial, and technical asso- 
ciations and societies was held in Sydney to consider. what steps’ could 
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