Research in Canada

THE nineteenth annual report of the National Research Council of the Dominion of Canada, for the year 1935–36, refers to the valuable work of the Division of Chemistry on the utilization of Alberta's natural gas. Optimum conditions have been determined for the production of ethylene, and a method has also been developed giving three to four gallons of benzene from each thousand cubic feet of Turner Valley stabilizer gas. Reference is also made to the synthesis of a number of plant hormones and to the discovery that alkaloids of the giant larkspur, a plant growing wild in southern Alberta, are powerful insecticides. The Division of Chemistry has also developed an improved method of measuring the hiding power of paints, and the wax mixture previously developed for use in plucking chickens has now come into wide use in preparing poultry for the market. Dry-cleaning research has included the study of non-inflammable cleaning solvents, such as trichloro-ethylene, the manufacture of which is being undertaken in Canada. The Division of Biology and Agriculture has compiled an extensive review of the literature on weed killers as a guide to experimental work in this field. The extent of insecticide taint in wheat, the requirements of barley suitable for malting, especially for the British market, cold storage of fowls, fruit and other food products have all received attention, and physical conditions necessary for de-chilling boxed poultry have been established which prevent the formation of condensate, a blemish which lowers the market quality.