The Director's Report gives particulars of the work carried out in each of these areas in the course of 1923. The progress reported is entirely satisfactory, both in respect of the extent of ground mapped, and of the skill with which the geology of the several districts is being interpreted. Other Work. The record of the Survey and Museum for 1923 is one of marked progress, and special attention is drawn to the large number of memoirs and maps published during the year.* Five further additions to the series of Special Reports on the Mineral Resources of Great Britain have to be noted. These are: Volume I.-Tungsten and Manganese Ores (3rd edition) Volume XXV.-Lead and Zinc Ores of Northumberland and Volume XXVI.—Lead and Zinc Ores of Durham, Yorkshire Several important memoirs of the Geological Survey are now out of print. It is, however, undesirable to issue new editions without such revision as is necessary to bring the information up to date, Just at present the urgency of other work makes it difficult to spare experienced geologists for this purpose. Accordingly, only those memoirs for which there is most demand have been put in hand for revision and re-issue. Special reference must be made to the publication of the late Dr. Kidston's monumental work on the Carboniferous Rocks of Great Britain.† This work fills a notable gap in palæobotanical literature. Four parts of the Monograph were issued in the course of 1923, each containing a large number of excellent collotype reproductions. Memoirs on the water supply of Wiltshire and Dorset and of Gloucestershire have been completed and are deposited at the offices in Jermyn Street. These are voluminous documents, and, if they were printed at this time, the cost would be unduly high. Publication of the memoirs has, therefore, been deferred, but the information in these manuscripts, as well as all detached but classified records bearing on water supply, are held available for reference by enquirers at the headquarters office of the Survey. Reference has already been made to the large number of maps issued by the Survey during 1923. It is to be emphasised also that improvements have at the same time been effected in the *See Appendix VIII (p. 125). † Monograph on the Fossil Plants of the Carboniferous Rocks of Great Britain (Palæontology, Vol. II), by Robert Kidston. Part I. Price 15s. net. Part II. Price 12s. 6d. net. Part III. Price 12s. 6d. net., Part IV. Price 15s. net. To be obtained from the Director-General, Ordnance Survey, Southampton; or from any of the agents named in Appendix VIII (p. 125). expression of geology on these maps. All maps are now printed by a six-colour process, hitherto in use only for Scottish maps. The (sheet 31) map of the Central Coalfield of Scotland (solid), and the Mull map, with all its complexity, are fine examples of colour printing. Work on the exhibition collections in the Museum of Practical Geology, and, to a certain extent, in the stores, had to be largely suspended owing to the structural repairs in progress. To relieve congestion in the Library, 1,100 volumes have been removed to an annexè. The Geological Survey and Museum have taken part in two exhibitions—first, the Sixth International Mining Exhibition, held in May, 1923, and more important, the British Empire Exhibition. The exhibit at the British Empire Exhibition is housed in the Government Pavilion and is designed to illustrate the different branches of Survey and Museum work. It includes a typical series of survey maps selected from districts of economic and scientific importance in England, Scotland and Wales. The Special Mineral Reports are illustrated by cases of specimens, diagrams and publications, and a special case has been arranged to show the geology of the London District. The work of the Petrological and Palæontological departments is explained by special exhibits showing how rocks and fossils are used in such practical geological work as map-making, the search for coal in concealed coalfields, and the search for underground water. A typical series of enlargements of Geological Survey photographs is exhibited. The photographs are arranged to show the principles of rock-formation, rock-disintegration, and the dependence of scenic features and physiography on geological structure. FOREST PRODUCTS RESEARCH BOARD DURING the past year the Forest Products Research Board has completed its survey of the field of research and its preparation of plans for the future. The work involved in this survey, in the collection of information, and in establishing liaison with the object of realising an effective policy, organisation and choice of problems, has been the more considerable in view of the broad scope of the investigations entrusted to the Board. When the Board was established, the Government instructions contemplated the ultimate provision of a central research institute, but it was clearly indicated that a suitable survey of other existing facilities must be made before financial provision could be found for the erection of such an institute. This decision followed and accorded with the recommendations of the first Empire Forestry Conference which met in London in 1920. The Board is now fully satisfied that for certain aspects of its work-in particular the research in timber mechanics and that in seasoning and the general relations of water and wood-central research laboratories are essential. In their absence progress in research is only possible in a limited field. During the year under review the Lord President has appointed Mr. C. J. Chaplin to be head of the Timber Mechanics Section of the Board's work. Mr. Chaplin, at the time of his appointment, was in charge of similar work at the Canadian Forest Products Laboratories at Montreal. He was at once asked to submit a scheme for the necessary plant and equipment, after a review of possible existing facilities. On receipt of his report the Department proceeded with the preparation of detailed plans for the development of a Timber Mechanics Section of the Laboratory and the installation of the necessary machines and equipment. The work of this section includes, inter alia, the large volume of applied research urgently needed in connexion with the adequate determination of strength values of structural and factory materials and their economical utilisation. The mechanical tests of both Home-grown and Empire-grown timbers will be made by the standard methods originated and developed in the Forest Products Laboratory of the United States of America at Madison, Wisconsin, and now adopted by the laboratories of Canada and India. The results of all these institutions will thus be susceptible of ready comparison. A comprehensive record has also been obtained at first hand, during a visit referred to below, of the origin, organisation and development of similar work at the United States Laboratory. For seasoning research the erection of a battery of three experimental drying kilns and a research laboratory has been completed during the year on a site provided by the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough. Both kilns and laboratory are now in operation. In two of the kilns home-grown Scots Pine railway wagon battens are being seasoned, and it is intended to proceed to the drying of home-grown oak wagon scantling. Arising out of this work plans are on foot to carry out, in co-operation with a railway company, a comparative quality test of naturally and artificially seasoned timber. This test will be co-ordinated with chemical work on the possible difference between the woods so treated. In the third kiln, experiments on the drying of teak panelling are in progress. This work, which is also for a railway company, is proceeding concurrently with a laboratory investigation of the effect on drying of the oily nature of the wood. A model kiln, in which the conditions are under separate and close control, has been designed for precise laboratory work, and a long series of experiments has been carried out on methods of humidification and its control, the results of which are now being applied in the design of small "ovens" for laboratory research. Plans of a "universal" experimental kiln, which can be adapted to function as any one of the different types of compartment kiln, have been obtained by the courtesy of the United States Laboratory experts, for use in the investigation of design and of different methods of treatment. Progress has been made in research on moisture diffusion within wood and on moisture movement in respect of drying rate. Work in conjunction with the National Physical Laboratory for research on the thermal and electrical conductivity of timbers has also been arranged. A more detailed programme of the whole work of the Board has been drawn up by the Director of Research and has received approval. In addition to the research in timber mechanics and seasoning, this programme provides for the fuller organisation. of the following sections of work: Intelligence. In charge of Mr. A. N. David, lately an officer of the Indian Forest Service, this section deals with the collection and indexing of information, with its internal and external coordination and issue, and with reports and bulletins. A good foundation has already been laid in the planning and initiation of an exhaustive index scheme, including the names of authors and workers, for the purpose of tracing trade products to their origin by species, and of providing a ready avenue of approach to the scientific and industrial information bearing thereon. Over 2,000 cards have already been prepared. Such an index by species will supply a long-felt want and is an important work. During the past year an enquiry has been made into the light woods of the Empire, with particular reference to the availability of Balsa wood (Ochroma Lagopus), used for instance as an insulating material, and into possible substitutes among other species. It is hoped eventually to produce a report bringing together all the woods of this type, with botanical and technical information as to identity, origin and uses. Through the courtesy of Mr. E. C Horton, O.B.E., President of the Federated Home-Grown Timber Merchants' Associations, a special committee of that body has prepared a memorandum showing in what directions research would assist the native timber industry. On some of these problems work has already been begun, while others await the establishment of the organisation approved in the Director's programme. In this connexion an exhaustive enquiry has been made into the requirements and practice of the wood-paving industry of this country with a view to assisting the home-grown trade. Chemistry of Forest Products.-The thorough investigation of the chemistry of wood substance is of basic importance to every section of forest products research. The work is very complex and comparatively little has been done in any country. The Director's programme also provides for the chemistry of natural and derived products, together with the needs of paper pulp research and research on fungicides and wood-preservatives. A beginning has been made on the chemistry of beech-wood, with a view to co-ordination with research which has been and is being carried out on its structure, seasoning, steaming, shrinkage and swelling. Timber Preservation. This comprises a wide field of research which may be roughly divided into work concerned with the pathology of timber-destroying organisms and into work of a more industrial character concerned with methods of preservation. The section has been planned to work in close contact with the Imperial Bureau of Mycology at Kew and with the Forestry Institute at Oxford. Pending the provision of more complete facilities two special enquiries have been undertaken with the assistance of Professor P. Groom, F.R.S., one on dry rot in the wooden insulation of cold stores, the other on a little-known fungus discovered in association with an attack of dry-rot at Broadmoor. Both these researches have been fruitful in shedding new light on fungicidal substances and their efficiency, on the circumstances of dry-rot attack, and in opening up further problems for investigation. Utilisation of Forest Products.-This section is designed to provide a closer liaison with industry than is possible in general intelligence work, and to secure that the results of research may find industrial application in the most practical and economic form. Initially this section has been planned to co-operate with the section of Timber Mechanics in making a census of the requirements of the wood-using trades. Finally, the Assistant to the Director and Mr. Chaplin were recently sent on deputation to Canada and the United States, where they spent two months in making an intensive study of the practical problems that will arise in carrying out the approved programme, and of the organisation and methods for dealing with these problems as exemplified in the United States Forest Products Laboratory at Madison, and the Canadian Forest Products Laboratories at Montreal. BUILDING RESEARCH BOARD THE work of the Building Research Board during the year has proceeded in directions indicated in the last annual report of the Department (pages 67 et seq.). The continuation of the investigation into what may be described as the causes of the setting and hardening of Portland cement has been the chief item in the programme of work on cements and concretes. Of the silicates and aluminates known to be present in Portland cement, pure specimens have been prepared in the laboratory of all but tricalcium silicate, the object being a study of their behaviour on hydration separately, and a comparison of the hydration of a synthetic cement made from them with that of Portland cement. Of the compounds prepared, the calcium aluminates have been hydrated, and a study made of the rate and products of hydration. This portion of the work forms a valuable basis for the investigation into the properties of high alumina cements. Physical tests on the last named, carried out at the Building Research Station, and under Professor Lea at Birmingham University, during the last year, seem to indicate that these products have variable characteristics which call for chemical investigation and further tests. A great deal of work has been done on the effect of consistency on the strength and permeability of concrete, and the effect of |