EL—29.

26

supervised. The dye and other material having bejen obtained, all the meat-marking fluid required by the Live-stock Division for branding inspected meat is now made in this Laboratory. The fluid from cattle-dips has been tested from time to time as required, and reagents for testing the strength of dips at the dip-side have been supplied as required to the stock officers. All casein for export has been examined chemically, as well as many other samples of dairy-produce throughout the year. Much work of a consulting nature has also been carried on between officers of this Laboratory and other Departments and with the public. Summary of Samples received during the Year. These were as follows : Soils collected by Chemist (soil surveys), 225 ; soils collected by Fields officers, 54 ; soils, miscellaneous, 17 ; fertilizers under the Fertilizers Act, 10 ; fertilizers (unofficial) from Fields officers, 33 ; fertilizers, miscellaneous, 8 ; reputed fertilizers and phosphate rocks, 25 ; limestones, 61 ; paints and paint materials, 12 ; toxicological specimens, 23 ; sugar-beet, 5 ; wheats, 42 ; flours, pollards, and brans, 18 ; cheese, 4 ; milks and creams, 10 ; butters, 556 ; caseins, 10 ; waters, 18 ; fodder plants, 15 ; sheep and cattle dips, 17 ; spraying-materials, 2 ; miscellaneous, 70 : total, 1,235. PUBLICATIONS SECTION. • This branch of the Department's activities, with Mr. R. H. Hooper as Editor, was efficiently carried on during the year. The New Zealand Journal of Agriculture has been maintained at a high standard, publishing authoritative original articles on all phases of our agricultural industry, while also supplying simple instructional matter month by month. Besides circulating among the agricultural anel allied commercial communities in every part of the Dominion, the Journal is also in regular use in many educational institutions ; it is also supplied to all public libraries. The foreign list continues to grow, largely by way of exchange with the publications of agricultural and other scientific institutions in all parts of the world. Correspondence shows that the Journal is regularly bound and preserved in many such institutional libraries. The standing of the Journal abroad is reflected in the frequent notices or summaries of its articles in such periodicals as those of the International Institute of Agriculture and in various other scientific publications. It is gratifying to know that, in addition to its primary purpose in our own country, the Department's organ thus serves as a good publicity medium for New Zealand abroad. There has been a oontinued steady demand for the Department's bulletins, necessitating the revision and reissue of many of those already listed. Among new bulletins issued during the year may be mentioned " The Grasslands of New Zealand: Series I, Principles of Pasture-establishment," a publication of 140 pages, with 112 illustrations, which is in wide request. Another publication issued meriting notice is a " Consolidated Index of the New Zealand Journal of Agriculture," covering the first ten years of the periodical. This index had been compiled some time previously, but owing to necessary financial economies the printing had to be deferred. Miscellaneous publications handled during the year include the Annual List of Dairy-factories, catalogues for the Ruakura and Weraroa stud-stock sales, and various posters, leaflets, &c. A considerable amount of special work was also carried out by the Editor. DEPARTMENTAL LIBRARY. The Department's central library at headquarters has continued under the general supervision of Mr. B. C. Aston, with Mr. E. McCarthy in immediate charge. Good progress has been made in classification and indexing work, efec, but the library is already somewhat handicapped by limited accommodation. A large amount of binding of periodicals and other publications is still required, and it is hoped to carry out this important work shortly. Among other accessions to the library during the year special note must be made of a very extensive and valuable collection of American agricultural publications obtained by Mr. John E. Moran, then United States Vice-Consul at Wellington, from his Government at our request. It is a pleasure to here place on record the great appreciation of the Department for this gift. C. J. Reakes, D.V.Sc, M.R.C.V.S., Director-General.

Approximate Cost of Paper. —Preparation not given; printing (1,175 copies), £30.

Authority : W. A. G. Skinher, Government Printer, Wellington.— 1924.

Priee yd.]