1920.] 



Agriculture Abroad. 



1253 



In an article on a strike of farm-hands in the Province of 

 Groningen, Holland, which lasted from the 5th May to the 

 2ist July of last year, M. F. P. Lohnis* 

 iigricultural Labour ^^^^ interesting facts as to hours 



and conditions of labour in that part 01 

 Holland. In the north and south-east of the Province it 

 is customary to work from 6 to 11.30 a.m. and from i to 

 5.30 p.m. In the intervening district (the Oldambt) work 

 begins at 5 or 6 a.m., and is carried on until i or 2 p.m. 

 Afterwards the labourer's time is at his own disposal. Many 

 of the labourers are provided with a not inconsiderable 

 piece of farm or garden land, for the working of which 

 they are by local custom allowed the use of their employers' 

 horses, and have certain other perquisites. They are thus 

 able to keep a small amount of stock of their own, and are to 

 some extent rather small holders than mere labourers. 



A RECENT Belgian law on agricultural education, pubhshed 

 in the Moniteur Beige of ist December, takes the place of 

 the law of 4th 'April, 1890. The new law 

 Agricultural provides for two higher agricultural in- 

 Education m ^ ^ ^ i • u • ^ x- n 



Belgium stitutes, at one of which instruction shall 



be given in French, and at the other in 

 Flemish. The Government system of agricultural training 

 may also include the establishment of agricultural schools, 

 both primary and secondary, and cour>es of teaching and 

 lectures on agricultural and horticultural subjects. The 

 Government may further, under certain conditions, subsidise 

 agricultural and horticultural schools, courses and lectures, 

 organised by communes, public bodies, or individuals. Hither- 

 to the Belgian Government has only possessed one higher 

 agricultural institute — that of Gembloux; apart from this 

 all methods of instruction provided for in the new law would 

 appear to have been in existence under the old. One of the 

 most interesting features of the Belgian system are the lectures 

 and courses of training on agricultural subjects, for which the 

 Government agricultural experts (Agronomes d'Etat) are 

 responsible. In the winter of 1 910 -11, courses of a varying 

 number of lessons were given in 367 centres, and the average 

 attendance at each lesson was 65. The lectures for farmers' 

 wives in the same winter numbered 392, with an average 

 attendance of 67. Another feature is the travelling school for 



♦ Tijdschrift der Nederlands. Heidemij.^ ist Febniary, 1920. 



