NEW OFFICIAL STATISTICS OF TJIE AGRICUIvTURAI, ASSOCIATIONS 1 3 



4 Provincial federations of horned cattle improvement syn- 

 dicates ; 



3 District " " " " " 



1 Regional federation 



3 Provincial federations of goat improvement syndicates; 



7 District " " " 



2 Provincial federations of pig 

 I District federation " " 



3 Regional federations of profession hop growers unions' ; 

 I " federation of strawberry growers' unions. 



1,978 



IvCt us briefly consider the most characteristic groups of these societies. 



I. Agricultural Cornices. — In accordance with the Royal Decree of 

 October 15th., 18S9, which settles their organisation, the cornices aim at 

 the advance of agriculture, encouraging it by means of shows, exhibitions 

 and experimental farms. In 1911, indeed, they organised 90 shows, 

 awarding altogether 217,973 frs. in prizes. 



The principal figures for 1911 for the 167 cornices existing in the 

 kingdom are summarised in the following table : 



TabIvE I. — Situation of the Agricultural Cornices in 1911. 



provinces 



Number 

 of Cornices 



Number 

 of Members 



Expenditure 



Antwerp . . . 

 Brabant. . . . 

 West Flanders 

 East Flandtrs . 

 Haiiiaut . . . 



Ei^ge 



Eimbourg . . . 

 Euxembourg . 

 Namur . . . . 



Total 



20 

 21 



13 



29 

 19 

 15 

 13 



20 



17 



167 



2,932 

 4,678 



2,995 

 6,064 

 5.982 



5,484 

 1,563 

 8,429 



2.513 



40,640 



frs. 

 30,412 



57,818 

 41,582 

 58.321 

 51,382 

 43,002 



19,374 

 60,871 

 38,211 



400.973 



frs, 



20,249 

 46,648 

 38,656 



49,015 

 23,880 

 25,722 

 15.386 

 54,243 

 26,054 



299,853 



These Cornices are united in provincial federations, called Provincial 

 Agricultural Societies. 



2. Agricultural Leagues. — These are the voluntary farmers' unions, 

 called gildes, formed for the study and defence of agricultural interests 

 the field of whose action is Hmited to a hamlet or one or more communes. 

 Almost all are members of some federation, either cantonal, provincial or 



