1738 AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION 



which have led to the writer's investigations. The results of the investiga- 

 tions are summarised by the writer as follows : 



1. — On the ground of taste, no reasonable and still less insur- 

 mountable objections can be made to the use of unpolished rice which offers 

 suihcient protection against beri-beri. 



2. — Compared with finished rice, unpolished rice becomes easily 

 and speedily unfit for consumption, by decay, by damages done by 

 insects, etc. Although periodical exposure to diffused daylight and regular 

 turning over of the stock have a favourable influence with regard to dete 

 rioration during storage, still unpolished rice can scarcely be kept for longer 

 than two months without even quite perceptible alterations. 



3. — The necessity of preserving unpolished rice, which must be 

 kept for some time, is best practicall}^ met by the use of chloroform or car- 

 bon tetrachloride. These are applied in the form of vapour, for which com- 

 paratively small quantities are sufficient. They do not modify the hardness, 

 the smell or the taste of the rice, and the}- exercise a favourable influence 

 on the preservation of the desired activit}^ 



4. — The P2 O5 proof with the fixed amount 0,4 % of this sub- 

 stance is not sufficient^ to be relied upon when testing rice as to its value 

 as protective against beri-beri. 



5. — A new method of chemical investigation better enables us 

 to judge of this value. This method consists in the estimation of the spirit 

 dr>"-residue, according to a process which has been fully described in the 

 text. As criterion the dr>"-residue Hmit was to be fixed between 0,55 and 

 0,6 %. 



6. — Tlie physiological test with the help of test-animals is at pre- 

 sent the only one which leads to a never-faihng, always correct judgment. 



The evident suitability of rice -birds for this purpose has led to a method 

 of investigation which in every respect deserves recommendation. 



7. — It appears more and more distinctly that requirements for an 

 adequate activity of rice are completely Avorthless, if at the same time 

 certain stipulations are not made as to the treatment of the rice, viz. the 

 washing and steaming, processes to which the rice must be subjected be- 

 fore it is ready for consumption. 



A specimen has been found with a P2 O5 amount lower than the stan- 

 dard norma of 0,4 04, and which notwithstanding this was sufficiently 

 active. 



This example shows that there are kinds of unpolished rice to be ob- 

 tained which in appearance and taste differ little, if anything from entireh' 

 polished rice, and which still give more than sufficient protection against 

 beri-beri. 



AGRICULTURAL 1255 - AgiicuItuFal Instiuction by Correspondence in France. - Lindet, in Com'tes 



EDUCATION Rendus lie l' Academie d' A i;ri culture de France, Xo). II, Xo. 32, pp. 931-993. Paris, 1916. 



In October 1913, the Union of Agricultural Syndicates in the south- 

 east of France began a course of agricultural instruction by correspondence. 

 During its first year as many as 207 pupils were registered, but with the out- 



