6 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



attention to the improvement of agricultural implements and to teach- 

 ing the farmers the relative merits of different kinds. Other local 

 societies have turned their attention to dairying and milling, while 

 still others have given premiums for the preparation of popular pam- 

 phlets. Such instances are encouraging, and it is hoped that they will 

 become more numerous. 



Fairs or expositions covering a wide held will soon be given only 

 under the auspices of the provincial federations. Such expositions are 

 proper when it is desirable to give a true idea of agriculture and agri- 

 cultural conditions in a certain region of the country. The resources 

 available for these expositions are amply sufficient, since the local soci- 

 eties are aided by two or three provincial federations and in addition 

 by special subsidies from the State, the province, and the town. More- 

 over, the Government possesses considerable material useful in arrang- 

 ing exhibits. This is available for expositions and greatly reduces 

 their cost. 



The general plan of these provincial exhibits is, however, not alto- 

 gether satisfactory. They are usually not sufficiently practical and not 

 always abreast of the times. Then, too, they often lack unity of pur- 

 pose. Premiums are still offered for exhibits in which size is a more 

 important factor than worth. No one doubts that it would be better to 

 offer a prize for a small number of varieties of grain, for instance, which 

 had been experimented with under definite conditions, than for a large 

 number with which this was not the case. Another criticism is that t< o 

 large awards are given to manufacturers on the plea that the expenses 

 attendant upon their exhibits are very great, barge breeders are also 

 favored to the disadvantage of the small farmer. It would be much 

 better to encourage cooperation among the farmers, since this is a more 

 potent factor in progress than individual interest. 



Though some provincial expositions, notably that of Bruges in 1894, 

 have followed these lines of improvement, the promoters of others 

 have been apparently too careless to do so. The creation of a central 

 and permanent commission technically competent to manage affairs 

 might improve existing conditions, and such a commission could be 

 selected from the superior council of agriculture. 



Experiments. — According to official instructions each provincial fed- 

 eration and each local society must have an experimental field. M. 

 Proost, the inspector general of agriculture, has general technical super- 

 vision of this work. The plan is that the experiments shall be car- 

 ried out by the provincial federation, and that demonstrations of the 

 experiments be made by the local societies in their experimental tields. 

 The soils of the province are studied, as well as new varieties of plants 

 and new methods of fertilizing, with a view to their use in the fields of 

 demonstration. 



Well-organized experimental fields are at present found in only two 

 provinces, one in Ghent in East Flanders and the other at llasselt in 



