270 JoitnuU of Agriculture. [10 April, 1909. 



The discussion of religious or political questions at any of the meetings 

 is expressly prohibited by the rules. 



The institute o^\ns a handsome building in the town of Barcelona con- 

 taining club rooms, where papers and publications (mainly agricultural) 

 are available for the use of members ; a complete agricultural library and 

 museum, containing specimens of all kinds calculated to interest farmers, 

 such as samples of soil, of agricultural produce, and special products, 

 as well as specimens and illustrations of diseases, &c. A well equipped 

 laboratory is included in the building where research work is being carried 

 out by an efficient staff. Lectures are given and meetings held for the dis- 

 cussion of subjects of interest to farmers, and everything possible is done to 

 encourage and aid in the dissemination of the most recent scientific and 

 technical agricultural knowledge. This object is aided by the publication 

 of a review of 16 pages, exclusive of advertisements, issued fortnightly. 



Experimental plots and model farms are conducted by the institution, 

 which even undertakes to promote and protect institutions useful to agri- 

 culture such as banks of credit and crop insurance societies. 



Members are of several classes, the first of which, known as resident 

 members, pay an entrance fee of 20 pesetas (i6s.) and an annual subscrip- 

 tion of 60 pesetas (48s.) per annum, payable monthly. 



Branches have been established in rural centres to assist in the work. 

 The institute is represented in Madrid by a permanent Committee, which 

 communicates, when necessary, with the Central Government. 



Very complete rules have been drawn up for the working of the whole 

 organization, whic;h appears to be thorough!} efficient, and to be of the 

 utmost value for the assistance and encouragement of agriculture in the 

 region at a moderate cost to members. 



Similar organizations exist in France, but the Instituto Agricola Catalan 

 de San Isidro is, so far as my experience goes, unique of its kind in Spain. 

 Of recent years, the Central Government has certainly been making up 

 for its earlier inaction and has established experimental farms and schools 

 in several centres, so that those now replanting have everything greatly 

 facilitated. Had it not been for this institution and the good work it 

 performed in the early part of the struggle, the reconstitution of Catalan 

 vineyards could not have reached its present position. 



In the laboratory of the Institute, I had an interesting conversation with 

 Don Jaime Raventos, who has charge of its scientific work. He explained 

 to me that reconstitution in the region could be summed up by saving the 

 stocks used were Rupestris, Rupestris and Rupestris (always du Lot). The 

 usual course was for the grower to try this stock : if it did not succeed, 

 which as a rule only happened in excessively calcareous soils ; he was 

 compelled to try all kinds of newer things. Riparias had on the whole 

 proved a failure. They were much planted at first but in a hot summer 

 many died out. 



I also visited Don Ignacio Girona \ Vilanova, a member of the Spanish 

 Cortes (Parliament) and a large vineyard proprietor, who takes a deep 

 interest in the work of the Institute. It was he who explained to me 

 the great work it had accomplished and how the Catalans had combined 

 to help one another, and by means of ex[)erimental plots and co-operation, 

 to collect and disseminate the necessary information. Don Ignacio in the 

 early days planted Riparias mainly — it was then the Riparia period in 

 France. He has regularly filled in misses with Rupestris du Lot. His 

 vineyard was entirely reconstituted, as also most of those in the region, 

 by field grafting, and he expresses himself quite satisfied with the result. 

 He is a believer in summer grafting but, instead of the bud graft practised^ 



