8 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



These meetings are doubtless made more attractive than local affairs. 

 Though the addresses are delivered by experts, they are on subjects of 

 real interest to the farmers. 



Publications. — A large portion of the resources of the local societies 

 is expended on agricultural journals, which are sent to every member. 

 Nearly every province has its own journal. These give reports of the 

 meetings and publish official information and general articles on agri- 

 cultural subjects. These various journals 1 differ in value, though in 

 general they are of great benefit to their readers. Unfortunately, in 

 Belgium, as in other European countries, farmers who read are rare. 



As has been before stated, only 3 per cent of the Belgian farmers are 

 members of the local societies, and it is probable that not more than 

 one-third of the members read carefully the agricultural journals. 

 Most of the provincial federations publish an annual report which con- 

 tains statistical information on agriculture. When the provincial fed- 

 erations do not publish such a report, the material which it would be 

 made up of is used in compiling the bulletin of agriculture, published 

 by the Ministry of Agriculture, which gives a general summary for the 

 whole country. The system of publications is capable of considerable 

 improvement. 



General remarks on the work of the societies. — The majority of the local 

 societies confine their attention to the four points above noted. The 

 circular issued by the Government in ISOl'. previously referred to, urges 

 them to strive for increased yield of crops, to form cooperative socie- 

 ties, to improve the land already in cultivation, to cooperate in the 

 purchase of such implements as are too expensive for the individual 

 farmer, to assist the farmers in the selection of proper varieties of 

 seeds, to endeavor to improve the breeds of cattle, and to more fre- 

 quently consult the state agriculturists. 



The fact that the local societies do not carry out the suggestions of this 

 circular may probably he attributed to the indifference and sometimes 

 the incompetency of the governing boards and the expense attendant 

 upon membership in the local societies. The work of the governing 

 boards is almost all done by the secretary. Since the organizations 

 depend largely upon subsidies from the Government, it would be proper 

 for the Government to appoint secretaries, selecting competent men, 

 and rendering them assistance through the state agriculturists. The 

 inefficiency of the governing boards is increased by the interference of 

 persons not familiar with agricultural matters. To remedy this, as 

 suggested by the provincial council of Liege in 1894, only persons who 

 have either a practical or theoretical knowledge of subjects connected 

 with agriculture should be allowed to take part in the meetings of the 



'Do Landman, Bruges; De Landbodo, Brussels; De Landbowgalm, Conrtrai; 

 Journal de la soci6te* agricole du Brabant-Hainaut, Brussels; Hel Landbouwblad 

 Hasselt; Journal de la Societ6 royale agricole de I'Est, Liege; L'agronome, Naniur; 

 Le Luxembourgeois, Ailon. 



