14 



debarred from discussing purely political questions, they are self- 

 governing. 



The branches usually meet monthly, except during the harvesting 

 seasons. At those meetings they discuss papers prepared by their 

 own members or criticise papers by other branches or reports of the 

 departmental work and experiments. No special officer or officers 

 of the state department are ajipointed to visit these meetings, but 

 whenever possible the different experts attached to the department 

 do Avhat they can in this direction. 



In addition to the ordinary meetings, neighboring branches in vari- 

 ous districts combine to hold a conference to Avhich the department 

 always endeavors to send one or more representatives. The branches 

 also arrange for field trials of implements, shows of produce and 

 stock, pruning demonstrations, meetings at homesteads, factories, 

 etc., where information of value is likely to be obtained. 



Each year in the sjDring a general congress of the bureaus is held in 

 Adelaide, and the department provides free railway transportation 

 for two representatives from each branch. This gathering extends, 

 as a rule, over three days, and occurs on the occasion of the spring 

 show of live stock and implements, held under the auspices of the 

 Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society. 



Generally the bureau may be termed a cooperative organization for 

 the dissemination of information through the interchange of ex- 

 periences of the members. The branches find their own meeting rooms, 

 light, etc., while the department finds stationery and postage, and pro- 

 vides such agricultural literature as is available and also arranges 

 at different times for experiments with manures, seeds, spraying of 

 trees, etc. 



No member of the bureau receives pay in any shape or form from 

 the department, and the members of the subordinate branches like- 

 wise perform such service as the organization requires without 

 compensation. 



The bureau has been in existence since 1888. In 1899 there were 

 1,400 active members connected with the various branches, and in 

 1901 106 branches were reported. 



The twelfth annual conference, held in 1900, was attended by 215 

 representatives of the branches. The secretaries furnish reports of 

 the monthly meetings to the department. In 1901 806 such reports 

 were made to the central bureau for that year. These are condensed 

 and published in a monthly journal called the Journal of Agriculture 

 and Industry, a copy of which is sent free each month to every mem- 

 ber of each branch. The membership are thus kept in touch with 

 v.hat is being done by the various branches elsewhere throughout 

 the State. 



