- 46 - 



of 1879 that a Royal Commission formally recommended a com- 

 plete Ministry of Agriculture; and after some temporary arrange- 

 ment, in 1889, the Board of Agriculture Act was passed, In 1903 

 the control of the inland and sea fisheries of England and Wales 

 was transferred from the Board of Trade to that of Agriculture, 

 forming a Division by itself. 



The other Divisions are the Intelligence, the Animals Division 

 and the Land and Statistical Divisions. 



The Intelligence Division among other duties, has that also of 

 diffusing direct technical information throughout Great Britain by 

 means of a monthly journal and by reports and leaflets, the gra- 

 tuitous distribution of the latter often exceeding a million a year. 



The Land and Statistical Division has a very varied set of 

 functions, one of the most important being the supervision and 

 sanctioning of Land Improvement Loans, under which 18 ooo coo 

 (equal to 754 500 ooo francs) have already been invested; four fifths 

 of this sum represent outlays on drainage, farm buildings, labourers' 

 cottages, etc. 



The Annual Agricultural Returns of crops and live stock, begun 

 in 1866, have been much improved and extended in later years 

 with the willing cooperation of half a million occupiers of land 

 and the active assistance of a considerable army of officials. 



Estimate of expenditure for financial year 1908-1909, as 

 passed by Parliament for the Board of Agriculture and 

 Fisheries. (British Year-Book of Agriculture and Agricultural 

 Who's Who 1909-10. Vinton & Co., p. 5. London). 



Salaries and wages 69 750 



Travelling and removal expenses 17 500 



Special services, legal and incidental expenses . . . 6 no 



Collection of agricultural and fishery statistics . . . 9 950 



Agricultural and dairy education 12300 



Diseases of animals (grants in aid) 40 100 



Expenses repayable 3 700 



Total ... 159419 

 Royal Botanic Gardens Kew 22 055 



Gross total . . . 181 474 

 Deduct appropriations in aid (various receipts by the 



Board) 33350 



Net total . . . 148 124 

 Net increase on 1907-1908 10 284 



Note. There was a supplementary estimate for 100 ooo taken for 

 1907-8 for the purposes of the Small Holdings and Allotments Act, 1907. 

 The net total of 148 124 is equivalent to francs 3 740 131. 



