MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL 



ECONo:\iY IN (;i<:nl:ral in various countries. 



FRANCE. 



THIi RlvSTORATION OF AGRICUIvTlRlv IX THE IXVADIvD Di:i'ARTMI-;XT.S. — I,:i 

 Maia-d'oeu\re;ii^ricole [Agricultural Labour), N'o. 217, i4lh year, I'arip, 23 July 1917. 



On 30 June 1917 the Direction of Agriculture in the Ministr\' of Agricul- 

 ture published, with a view to agricultural reconstruction in the invaded 

 departments, instructions to which agriculturists should conform in order 

 to resume occui)ation of their former farms. It is a fact that the resum])- 

 tion of agricultural life in these districts ought to be accomplished as soon 

 as i^ossible by the agricultural population still in them, the repatriated agri- 

 culturists, and those who have withdrawn into the interior and will now ask 

 to return to their \allages. But the stretch of land in question forms a 

 so-called " reserved " zone of which the limits have been fixed by the mili- 

 tary authority. Owing to the devastated condition of many places and for 

 military reasons no general measure authorizing an immediate and collec- 

 tive repatriation can be passed. For the moment therefore leave to re- 

 turn can only be granted individually to agriculturists who previously 

 resided habitually in the commune to which they ask to go, and whose re- 

 turn is recognized to be indispensable to the resumption of agricultural 

 life. In his request an agriculturist should always indicate what is the im- 

 portance of his farm and how he proposes to resume farming. Authori- 

 zations can be granted only in the measure of which the condition of com- 

 munes, as regards means of access to them, their provisioning and the 

 degree to which they are healthy, habitable and safe, permits. In every 

 case a regular authorization \\i\\ be the sine qua nan of return. 



The majority of the agriculturists will ha\^e to reconstitute their farms 

 after their return, often building a temporary dwelling for themselves and 

 shelters for their beasts ; and always the}' will have to get together again 

 their live and other stock and resume cultivation. 



Since no one system of farming can be adapted to every kind of farm, 

 each individual should determine on his best course in accordance with his 

 ability and resources, (generally speaking, however, a garden should first 

 be remade ; then those foodstuffs which supply the first needs of man and 

 beast — potatoes and other vegetables, forage, oats — should be planted, 

 and finally the land should be restored to a condition allowing corn to be 

 grown. The complete realization of the ])lan of cultivation will necessarily 

 occupy several years, and dejiend on resources in labour and money and on 

 the payment of indemnities for damages wrought by the war. In many ca- 

 ses an association of agriculturists will increase their credit and will encou- 



