428 KEPORT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



visors comprise 20 agriculturists. The distribution of the fields of 

 operation of the service according to the administrative divisions is 

 preserved. 



A royal edict of the 24th of December, 1898, coordinates all of these 

 edicts and modifies the arrangement in effect at that time concerning: 

 the services of the agriculturists. This edict fixes the salaries of the 

 supervisors and provides that in order to be nominated to the office 

 one must have the diploma of agricultural engineer. Exception to 

 this rule may be made with those who have conspicuously proven 

 their knowledge of agriculture and successfully passed an examina- 

 tion before a special juI■3^ 



There are now 34 extension supervisors in Belgium, besides numer- 

 ous assistants. 



The edict of the 24th of December, 1898, defines the purpose of the 

 supervisors as follows: 



(1) To popularize the information and operations of agricul- 

 tural science, especially by means of oral consultations, conferences, 

 demonstration, or experiment fields, etc. They are to place them- 

 selves in direct relation with the cultivators and give them, free of 

 charge, the counsel they desire. They are to fulfill the functions of 

 a technical adviser and agricultural lecturer. 



(2) To inform the cultivators of the advantages which they are 

 able to procure through associations, to furnish precise data regard- 

 ing such organizations and the functions of the different agricul- 

 tural groups. 



(3) To enlighten the central administration regarding the work of 

 the official agricultural societies or auxiUaries and their financial 

 encouragement due to the subsidies which they receive and also 

 regarding the honorary distinctions Avhich are to be granted. 



(4) To organize and to direct the agricultural courses for adults, 

 courses in horticulture, arboriculture, vegetable gardening, etc. 



The organic edict provides for one or more temporary assistants 

 to each supervisor, their duties being to give the agricultural courses 

 and to organize the demonstrations established at the expense of 

 the State. Besides organizing agricultural associations and giving 

 regular complete courses of instruction on a particular subject, the 

 extension supervisors give numerous isolated conferences and talks 

 on subjects of general interest. In 1886 these agents gave a total 

 of 400 agricultural conferences. 



The minister of agriculture issued a decree dated 28th of Septem- 

 ber, 1885, requiring at Government expense the organization of 

 experiment fields under the direction of the supervisors. These 

 ])ractical tests or experiments and scientific demonstrations must 

 include the composition and fertiJity of the soil, the adaptation or 

 acclimatization of desirable plants, and the employment of improved 



