AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATIONS IN BELGIUM. 7 



Limbourg, both of wliicli are under the direction of a state agricul- 

 turist. 1 



The first of these publishes each year, as a supplement to the annual 

 report of the provincial commission, an account-' of the experiments 

 which have been carried on. The second, which has devoted its atten- 

 tion to studies of the local soil, also publishes reports 3 of its investiga- 

 tions. If this latter example were followed by other provinces, there 

 would soon result a complete report on Belgium soils and their needs. 



The Ministry of Agriculture of the General Government was founded 

 in 1884, and the experimental fields date from tins time. At first each 

 experimenter, on application to the Ministry of Agriculture, received 

 fertilizers and seeds free. The experiments were required to be made 

 under the direction of a state agriculturist and on an experimental field 

 not exceeding 20 ares (about one-half acre). When the local societies 

 were reorganized in 1889, it was decided by the Government that each 

 should have a field of demonstration near i t. This measure was adopted 

 to insure the speedy application of the results of the experiments, and 

 it was also believed that having a number of fields for purposes of dem- 

 onstration would diminish the number of printed reports which were 

 necessary. 



The experimental fields have rendered great service in disseminating 

 information regarding the use of fertilizers and improved varieties of 

 plants. So far the plan has been fairly successful. It appears desira- 

 ble, however, to so modify it that better results may be obtained both 

 from a scientific and an economic standpoint. This modification would 

 necessitate a carefully considered plan of cooperation, closer relations 

 between the state agriculturists and the local societies, and compensa- 

 tion for the persons actually engaged in carrying on the experiments. 



Meetings. — Frequent meetings with addresses by competent men fur- 

 nish a valuable means of diffusing knowledge of agricultural science 

 among farmers. The report of M. Cartuyvels, director of agriculture 

 at the third international congress in Brussels, indicates that these 

 meetings are not always well managed by the local societies. Some- 

 times the members meet oidy once a year, namely, for the election of 

 officers. Frequently the local societies meet only in the principal cities 

 of the district instead of in the country towns. The result is that poli- 

 ticians and others join the associations and use them to serve their own 

 ends. It is not, therefore, surprising that the farmers do not attend 

 these meetings when held in large cities. 



The agricultural conferences held each year under the auspices of the 

 Government in the rural communities are, however, well attended. 4 



1 M. de Caluwe is director of the first and M. Schreiber, assisted by M. Smets, of the 

 second. 



' 2 Societe agricole de la Flandre orientate. Rappofts sur l'etat do l'agriculture 

 dans la province, etc., de Gand. 

 3 Monographiea agncoles des terrains du Linibourg, Hasselt. 

 4 For an account of this feature of the subject, see E. S. R., 4, p. 707. 



