24 



ITALY. 



During" the year 1903 about ninety '' conferences" of farmers, sim- 

 ilar to institute meeting's, were held in Ital}. 



The teachers who give instruction in the conferences are chosen 

 from among- the doctors of agrai'ian science, graduates of the higher 

 agricultural schools of the Kingdom, after a competitive exan)ination 

 held by the administration authorities in the several provinces. The 

 selections, however, must subsequently be approved by the minister 

 of agriculture of the Kingdom. 



Applicants for the itinerant chair of agriculture must submit proof 

 of having spent three ycai's in the attainment of the degree of doctor 

 of agricultural science, during which time proper training must have 

 been had in the application of scientific truth to practical agriculture. 

 Preference is given to those who have acquired their training in 

 applied science in a school or institute of agriculture, or in connection 

 with an agricultural experiment station. The applicant must also have 

 undergone an apprenticeship of not less than one 3'ear on an agricul- 

 tural estate. The examination consists of a written test, a reading or 

 conference, a discussion, and a practical test in the field. 



The lecturers are officially known as directors of itinerant chairs of 

 agriculture, and have their office addresses in the capitals of the pro- 

 vinces or districts in which they severally reside. They are employed 

 during the entire year, and it is their duty to hold meetings in the 

 towns, villages, and countr\^ communities of the province or district to 

 which they are assigned. 



The functions of the itinerant chair of agriculture are: To hold con- 

 ferences of a practical nature in a simple form regarding the various 

 phases of agronomy, animal industry, wine, oil making, etc.; to reply 

 to oral and written questions from private individuals and societies 

 regarding agricultural matters; to institute experimental fields, pub- 

 lish results obtained in such experiments, and assume the direction of 

 such fields; to collect stati.stics regarding agricultural production in 

 the region covered by the chair; to maintain vigilance against the inva- 

 sion of parasitic insects and infectious diseases of plants and animals, 

 and to publish circulars in simple language containing practical advice 

 to farmers. They aim also to develop organization among farmers; to 

 establish cooperative societies for the production and sale of agricul- 

 tural products; to experiment with agricultural machinery; to intro- 

 duce new plants and ])etter methods of cultivation throughout the 

 provinces; to devise useful ])lans for the amelioration of agricultural 

 conditions in general, and by verbal consultation and written com- 

 munications to gi\e expert advice to those who desire it. 



Their salaries range from $700 to $1,000 jxm- year. Three-fifths of 

 the expense of n)aintaining itinerant chairs is borne by the province 

 or district and two-fifths b}^ the minister of agriculture. 



