140 THE FUTURE OF OUR AGRICULTURE. 



those specialities in which he does excel he ought to push, 

 selecting his farm accordingly, and in so doing he is likely 

 to fare well. There is no feature more noteworthy in the 

 recent development of German Agriculture, or more clearly 

 indicative of the causes of the success attained, than the 

 striking " variety of cultures, adapting cultivation to local 

 conditions. And with regard to the advance made in 

 Agriculture in the United States, the present Secretary 

 of Agriculture, the Hon. D. F. Houston, remarks expHcitly : 

 " The progress of Agriculture reveals itself more particularly 

 in its diversification, in the rise of minor crops to larger pro- 

 portions, than in the increased production of staple pro- 

 ducts." In the United States there are institutions for 

 special subjects, such as dairying, fruit culture— and, again, 

 veterinary schools for farmers and the Hke in all states. 

 However, the system is probably most developed in Ger- 

 many, in part because German appetite for knowledge is, 

 sometimes to its detriment, most comprehensive ; in part 

 also because in Germany Agriculture has become most 

 blended with industrial by-pursuits which, to be carried 

 to success, require to be carefully learnt and studied. Such 

 by-pursuits are distillery (both of potatoes and of grain), 

 sugar refinery, converting potatoes into starch — much 

 practised also in France — or else into syrup and the like. 

 It would surprise our farmers to learn how many different 

 " special " studies the German teaching programme recog- 

 nises. However, there are very useful specialities also 

 to be found elsewhere, for instance in the United States 

 and in vigorously active little Belgium. 



There is a special institution in Belgium for the study of 

 Belgian soils and climates, a study which to many in this 

 country may present itself as superfluous, but which has 

 nevertheless been found to possess its distinct value. There 

 is also an institution already referred to in Belgium for 

 instructing farmers and farm pupils in the use of modern 

 implements and modern machinery, making them under- 

 stand the mechanism and so training them at once for 

 better knowledge and better use of such articles. Imple- 

 ment making and the manufacturing of machiner}'' have 



