136 The International Institute of Agriculture. 



on entirely different lines to that dealing with agricultural 

 intelligence. The first three issues, published in 1910, con- 

 tained comprehensive studies on agricultural co-operation and 

 credit in all the important adhering States. They became, 

 however, quicklj- out of print, and the information was re- 

 published in two volumes (one of which has not yet been 

 issued), entitled Monographs on Agricultural Co-operation m 

 various Countries. These monographs are absolutely indis- 

 pensable to any one studying agricultural co-operation. It is 

 true that most of the information given can be found elsewhere, 

 but the advantage of having all the facts, extracted from innu- 

 merable publications, official and otherwise, given for each 

 country on an uniform system and in the English language, 

 cannot be exaggerated. These early studies formed a firm basis 

 on which to build later numbers of the bulletin. The sub- 

 sequent monthly issues contain recent news, summarised from 

 current reports and periodicals, and in addition monographs on 

 different subjects based on the study of a number of 

 oMicial reports and other publications. The bulletin also gives 

 information regarding legislation proposed or passed in 

 different countries. The Bureau has also recently published in 

 French its first International Yearbook of Agricultural Legis- 

 lation, which supplies information with regard to the principal 

 laws relating to agriculture passed in 1911 throughout the 

 world. 



The Library. 



From the above account of the activities of the Institute, 

 it will be gathered that the centre of the whole organisation is 

 the Library. It is only because its Library has been conducted 

 from the first on a scientific and efficient system that the 

 Institute has been able to accomplish the work it has. In May, 

 1911, the President stated that at that time over seventeen 

 hundred reviews and periodicals were being received, and 

 that every day fresh ones were arriving. The weekly biblio- 

 graphical bulletin published by the Institute testifies to the 

 thoroughness with which these periodicals are examined and 

 their contents noted. 



The above is a brief and imperfect account of the work of 

 the Institute, but it may be sufficient to show what an 

 important institution it is and what an influence it is likely to 

 exert on the agriculture of the world. Specimens of each of 

 the publications of the Institute may be seen at the offices of 

 the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, and copies of most 

 of them may be purchased from there. Copies can also be 

 consulted by members of the Royal Agricultui-al Society of 

 England, at the Society's library. 



H. L. French. 



Streatham, London, S.W. 



