18 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



January 21, 1911. 



may be used to indicate how such an institution, from 

 being a means for undertaking agricultural experi- 

 mentation and the introduction of plants, has acquired 

 a rapidly increasing share in such matters as education, 

 the development of old industries and the ac(jui?ition of 

 new ones, the making of agricultural improvements, the 

 administration of financial assistance, tlie introduction of 

 legislation required in connexion with agiioiiltnre, and 

 many others, up to the stage at which it becomes an 

 authiirity for reference, and, a source of advice, for 

 the Executive. In the present instance, all these may 

 be left for treatment in thpir proper connexion, and 

 attention may be given to the special puipose fur 

 which this article is written. 



There is adequate evidence to show that those 

 who have undertaken the responsibility of giving 

 advice in agricultural matters have recognized to an 

 increasing degree that part of their labours should have 

 an immediate reference to the commerce of the coun- 

 tries which they serve. This has been the case 

 particularly in the West Indies, where so to speak, 

 agriculture is commerce. A large part of the work of 

 most of the agricultural officers in these islands is 

 directed toward giving assistance in connexion with 

 agricultural shows, and with the labours of permanent 

 exhibition committees. Agricultural loans and banks, 

 and schemes of land .settlement — matters of direct or 

 indirect commercial interest — are all included in the 

 view which they take of their work. An interesting 

 and pertinent example of the connexion of the efforts 

 of agricultural departments with mercantile con- 

 cerns is the participation of the Imperial Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, in the proceedings of the British 

 Cotton Growing Association — the latter a commercial 

 agency working with a special object. If it is required, 

 recent evidence as to the commercial usefulness of the 

 agricultural worker and, through hiui, of the agricultural 

 depaitment, is furnished in a broader way by the fre- 

 quency with which the former appeared as a witness 

 before the late Royal Commission on Trade Kel.itions 

 between Canada and the West Indies, 



The relationship between the work of departments 

 of agriculture and the interests that belong more direct- 

 ly to commerce is becoming closer, particularly in tropi- 

 cal countries, as time pi'ogresses. That is to say, the 

 efforts of such departments are continually being made 

 to serve more intnnately those inttTcsts, so that they 

 are now prepared to undertake work that has been 

 WSually regarded as existing in the province of (he jjro- 



ducer or buyer, alone — work that was imdreamcd of, 

 as part of their labours, less than a decade ago. This is 

 not required so much in relation to old, well established 

 industries as in the case of those that are being inaugu- 

 rated, or which have, so far, reached only a small 

 growth. As regards the former, the jjroducer has ordy 

 to bring forward that which he has for disposal; in the 

 c.ise of new products, markels where these may be sold 

 have to be found, and ways must be devised for extend- 

 ing such as exist already. It will be of interest to ren- 

 der special consideration to the kind of activity that 

 has just been indicated. 



In giving assistance in fin<ling and extending 

 markets for \arious kinds of pmduce, the work of an 

 agricultural department must bt> imlirect. From its 

 very nature, it cannot take the place of an agent between 

 the seilerand the buyer. It must occupy a position in 

 which its Work can be undertaken in a dispassionate 

 manner, and without bias, so that it may engage the 

 confidence of the consumer as well as of the supplier. 

 A useful way in which this position may be attained, 

 in a special instance, is suggested in the report* of the, 

 recent Royal t'ummission on Trade Relations between 

 Canada and the West Indies, which recommends the 

 appointment of a Trade Commissioner ' fully conversant 

 with the circumstances of the West Indies, to represent 

 the West Indies in Canada, who could advise the pro- 

 ducers of the West Indies and bring them into commun- 

 ication with Canadian buyers.' The suggestion is 

 made, further, that it is desirable, 'in order to secure 

 the advantages of the existing organization, that the 

 office should be in close association with the Imjjcrial 

 Oepirtment nf Agriculture.' Thus the De]iartment 

 would be provided with an intermediary, for the purpose 

 of serving the commercial interests of the West Indies 

 in Canada, who would have the adxantage ot its ad\ ice 

 and reconnnend:itions. 



This recognition of an extended use of an agricul- 

 tural Department in a commercial direction forms an 

 illuminating example of the broad modern aspect of 

 the work of such institutions. Some of these extensions 

 will be pcnii.uient; while others will be only temporary, 

 as has been indicated — being merely re(|uirt'd for 

 ibstering a scheme .it its commencement. In any case, 

 they foiin steps in the evolution of agricultural 

 departments, and serve to give a hint as to the many 

 possible directions in which thi'ir u.^efulness may be 

 developed. 



* Part I [Cd. o:}69], par. 182. 



