EVOLUTION OF FARM-IMPLEMKNT INVESTIGATIONS. 217 



FRANCE. 



The French (Joverunieiit has instituted a niachinerv trial station 

 near Paris, under the direction of Max Kingehnann, which is probably 

 the most thorou<:hly-e(|uii)ped station for the scientific study of the 

 principles of construction and elliciency of farm implements and 

 machinery. A<rricuhure in France has been developed to such a 

 deo:ree that most of the country is mai)ped out and investigated, and 

 the possibilities and reciuirements of most districts can be readily 

 ascertained whenever there is a question of introducing improve- 

 ments. Knowing exactly the refjuirements, the men in charge are 

 able to report upon the suitability of any mechanism presenied to 

 them and even to otl'er suggestions that have proved exceedingly 

 valual)le to manufacturers. They will test new machines and inven- 

 tions of any kind having reference to agricultural industry, and give 

 an unbiased report upon their value for French agriculture. 



OTHER COUNTRIES. 



So good are the results which have thus been obtained that the 

 j)ractice is being followed in Spain, where, under the director-general 

 of agriculture, at Madrid, there has recently been established a ma- 

 chinery trial station upon the same lines, and a similar department 

 has been created by the minister of commerce and industr}' in the 

 Netherlands, where agricultural engineers are given facilities for 

 having their instruments ofticiallv tested at the agricultural academv 

 of Wagenigen. This department gives advice to makers as to any 

 modification or improvement that may be needed in the mechanism 

 of an imph'ment in order to increase its utility to Dutch users, and it 

 also has facilities for making the machinery known to agriculturists, 

 so that the new institution promises to be an extremely valuable inter- 

 mediary between makers and users. 



In Ivussia there have been conducted for a number of years field 

 trials with farm implements in connection with the agricultural col- 

 leges. There is an implement trial station near Moscow, in charge of 

 Prof. Visilij Gorjachkin. P2ven in far-off Siberia the writer had the 

 privilege a few years ago to participate in a field trial of American 

 rea])ers and binders at the agricultural college at Tomsk. After the 

 trial the im])lements wei-e taken to j^ieces. examined, and compared 

 by the college students, and each part judged for its efliciency. 



INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF AGRICIjLTURAL MECHANICS, AT 



LIEGE, BELGIUM, 1905.'- 



In connection with the International Exposition at Liege, Bel- 

 gium, there was held August 18-20, 1905, the first international con- 



« From report of Mr. \V. II. l{«'iil, V. S. Department of Agricultun', delegate 

 to the cougress. 



