INFORMATION RELATING TO AGRICULTURAI^ ECONOMY IN GENERAI, 85 



seases of the vine they are not only an encouragement but also a veri- 

 table aid to small agriculturalists to meet losses which they are powerless 

 to prevent and which are a direct menace to their economic odstence. 

 These grants are a true social benefit. 



The author of the work we have cited has also made a study of the dis- 

 tributions of cash prizes awarded by the federal governement to encourage 

 cattle breeding on a large and a small scale in the canton of Berne (i), in 

 which there is a relatively great number of large stock owners. The study 

 has reference to 1913 and ends with the following conclusions : 



Distribution of Ciish prizes to exihitors winning from 1 to 8 prizes 

 for males and females. 



Number Percent. Percent, of total amount 



of of total no. constituted by amount of 



prizes obtained of exhibitors prizes in each category 



I 54-^6 % ■ 27.44 % 



2 19.26 % 16.91 % 



3 10.14 % 11.56 % 



4 ■ • • • , 4-00 % 5-87 % 



5 2.92% 5.06% 



6 2.60% 6.16% 



7 2.32% 5-87% 



8 4-30% 21.13% 



100.00 % 100,00 % 



It is especially in the chief breeding centres that proprietors of the 

 last category are encountered. To have in one's stalls eight heads of Uve 

 stock is not to be a large proprietor. Farms of this description, having a 

 certain importance, form the centres for serious breeding which are neces- 

 sary to its methodical and rational pursuit. Therefore the federal subsidies 

 are not, as has often been said, so much money distributed to rich pea- 

 sants. Especially where cattle are concerned they are useful and render 

 real services. 



B. Influence of federal subsidies on agriculture and their future deve- 

 lopment. 



The conclusions reached by Dr. Schmid as to agricultural instruction, 

 agricidtural experiment and research, stock breeding, land improvement, measures 

 for the protection of agriculture, agricultural associations, the Swiss peasants' 

 secretariat, exhibitions, etc. 



To resume the conclusions of the author of this study on all these 

 subjects would take us too far. We will end this notice b}' giving in tabular 

 form the data as to federal subsidies for the encoj.tragement of agriculture 



(i) See table XV. and the remarks on pp. 316 ei seq of the work cited in the Landtvirischaft- 

 liches Jahrbuch des Schweiz, part 3, 1916. 



