502 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Ill the meantime the Italian Royal Commission has instigated an 

 inquiry into the exact character and extent of the information which 

 the different countries are in position to supply with regard to their 

 agricultural production. This information will be catalogued and 

 classified, and a report upon it will be ready for the use of the per- 

 manent committee when it meets. The systems in operation in 

 various countries for the collection of agricultural statistics are also 

 being studied, in order that the value of these statistics may be 

 judged of and means of improvement suggested where desirable. 



The functions of the institute are strictly economic and sociological. 

 WHiile its duties have not been worked out in detail, the " acte final '' 

 prescribes as among the principal duties that the institute shall col- 

 lect, study, and publish as promptly as possible statistical, technical, 

 and economic information of interest to agriculturists, excluding " all 

 questions relating to the economic interests, the legislation, and ad- 

 ministration of any particular nation." More specifically the data 

 sought for publication relate to the cultivation of the soil, crop pro- 

 duction, trade in and prices of agricultural products on the various 

 markets, wages of rural labor, the appearance, spread and means of 

 control of new diseases of plants. It will also give special attention 

 to the subjects of agricultural cooperation, insurance, and credit. It 

 is designed, therefore, to serve as a great intelligence bureau of the 

 countries interested, for the dissemination of information relating 

 to agricultural production throughout the world, and many economic 

 and social phases of agriculture. 



The finances of the institute are cooperatively provided. The calcu- 

 lated annual expense of the institute is about $175,000. Toward this 

 sum the King of Italy has given the revenues of two domains near 

 Pisa, which amount annually to $60,000. The balance of $115,000 

 is to be raised among the nations on the basis of units of subscrip- 

 tion, which also determine the national representation and voice in 

 the management of the institute. Five groups are recognized. 

 Group 1 carries five votes and sixteen units of subscription, group 

 2 four votes and eight units, group 3 three votes and four units, group 

 4 two votes and two units, and group 5 one vote and one unit of sub- 

 scription. For the first two years a unit of subscription is placed at 

 $300 per annmn, and the constitution provides that it can never be 

 more than $500. The subscriptions therefore range from $300 to 

 $4,800 per annum. Each nation elects the group it will join in the 

 management and support of the enterprise. The United States has 

 come in on the basis of group 1. 



The control of the organization is placed in the hands of a general 

 assembh' of delegates, sent bj^ the adhering nations and presided over 

 b}^ an elected president and two vice-presidents. The permanent 



