lOO RUSSIA - AGRICULTURAIv ECONOMY IN GENERAL 



Ostrov, Rschev and Trokki — the number of cows per lOO deciatines is 

 higher in both classes of farms than that of horses, a circumstance closely 

 connected with the whole method of farming in these provinces, namely 

 with the improved field system, especially with a view to Uve stock and dairy 

 farming, and with the more extensive cultivation of grass for fodder. In 

 the other provinces however corn growing prevails and this naturally causes 

 draught animals to have most importance among the live stock. For the 

 rest, in every province in which owing to bad harvests or general causes 

 there has been a reduction of live-stock, such reduction is relatively least 

 noticeable in the newly formed farms held in severalty, which circumstance 

 is a clear sign of the staying power of these and their fitness to bear burdens. 



§ 9. Agricultural assistance and the extension of co-operation. 



Agricultural assistance was afforded to the newly formed farms in the 

 provinces of Ostrov, Sitschevka, Mologa, Orel, Berdjansk and Krementschug 

 by the zemstvos ; in the provinces of Trokki, Rschev, Jepif any, Bogoduchov 

 and Krasnoufinisk by the government ; and in that of Nikolajevsk by the 

 zemstvo and the government. At first the help given took such forms as 

 demonstrations, adapted to needs ; and instruction given to the peasants 

 by means of the organization of model farms and experimental cultures; 

 the foundation of stations for cleaning seeds, warehouses for machines and 

 stud farms ; the holding of lectures and courses, and the arrangement of 

 cattle shows. It was sought to provide the peasants with the knowledge 

 necessary to farming. I^ater, as the staff of agriculturists increased, it 

 became possible to undertake individual instruction, to know the peculiar- 

 ities of every single farm and direct it to that path by which it could secure 

 technical advantages and be economically profitable. Out of the system of 

 provincial agricultural assistance arose the so called Zevier agricultural 

 organization, which very much narrows the activities of the province and 

 therefore gives more attention to single farms. If hitherto corn growing 

 had dominated among forms of agriculture and had been the general ob- 

 ject of farming, so that the prosperity of peasant farmers depended on a sin- 

 gle factor, it was the task of the organization of the local experts to introduce 

 other forms of agriculture, so that the peasants' income might depend vipon 

 several factors, and when one of these failed the^^ might derive compen- 

 sation from another. 



The type and the amount of expert help afforded in the twelve districts 

 investigated appears from the following table : 



