ON AGRICULTURE TO IRELAND 47 



These organisers are lecturers, and several of them possess expert 

 knowledge on dairying, poultry-rearing, and agriculture. There is 

 also a journalistic staff to conduct the Irish Homestead, the organ 

 of the movement, but it is now run as a society separate and dis- 

 tinct from the I.A.O.S. 



When the Department of Agriculture was created there were 

 some people who thought that the I.O.A.S. haa done its work, and 

 was no longer necessary. That was a mistake. The I.A.O.S. was 



^ 



MK K. A. ANDKRSON 



essential to the success of the ])epartment. It was to be the 

 medium through wliich much of the work of the Department was 

 to be done. In fact, without the organisation held together by 

 that Society, the Department would have found its work more 

 difficult. Tlie misconception, however, reduced subscriptions. 

 The Department came to the rescue, but this had the effect of 

 further reducing subscriptions. What need to subscribe if the 

 Department is to make up any deficiency ? This year the Depart- 

 ment has agreed to subscribe £3700, the largest sum it ever 

 subscribed. It has come to an arrangement, however, with the 



