1922.] 



Agricul tubal Advisors Committee. 



•257 



AGRICULTURAL ADVISORY COM- 

 MITTEE FOR ENGLAND AND WALES. 



The following is the half-yearly report (No. 3) of the Agri- 

 cultural Advisory Committee for England and Wales to the 

 Councils of Agriculture for England and Wales, on the Pro- 

 ceedings of the Committee : — 



Since the date of the last report,* the Agricultural Advisory 

 Committee has met seven times, two of the meetings being 

 special meetings to consider the position in regard to Foot-and- 

 Mouth Disease. The following subjects were considered, with 

 the results stated : — 



(1) Restrictions on Exportation of Artificial Fertilisers — 



In the last Report it was stated that the question of the final removal of these 

 restrictions had been brought before the Committee, and consideration deferred 

 by it for a month. It had in the first place been explained that an Order in 

 Council under the Fertilisers (Temporary Control of Export) Act, 1020, pro- 

 hibited the export of sulphate of ammonia, superphospate, basic slag, and 

 compound manures containing any of these, except by licence of the Board of 

 Trade. An open general licence had already been issued authorising export 

 of sulphate of ammonia. 



The restrictions had been imposed at a time when the stocks of fertilisers 

 in the country were low. This position had altered ; large stocks had accumu- 

 lated, and manufacturers were making an insistent demand to be allowed to 

 export. The only fertiliser that was, as a matter of fact, really being restricted 

 in export was high grade basic slag ; and now about (300 tons were required 

 to be exported. It was represented that this could be allowed without injury 

 to agriculture. If there was likely to be a shortage of slag in this country 

 it was considered that the restrictions could be reimposed. The Committee 

 agreed to the Ministry advising the Board of Trade to allow exportation as 

 suggested, the position in regard to the supply and home requirements of 

 artificial fertilisers to be kept under observation from week to vveek. 



(2) Importation of Goats for Breeding- Purposes.— The British 

 Goat Society had asked permission to import pedigree goats for the purpose 

 of improving the breed of animals in this country. No importation had been 

 made since 1903, and it was suggested that the time had arrived when another 

 importation under suitable conditions of - quarantine might be effected. It 

 was agreed that the request might be acceded to, the British Goat Society 

 purchasing the animals to be imported and arranging the importation as their 

 own affair, the Ministry prescribing the necessary quarantine and conditions 

 of importation. 



(3) Proposed Rabbit Pest Bill.— The following Resolution of the 

 Council of Agriculture for England was considered : — 



"That the Council recommends the Ministry to promote legislation on 

 the lines of Section 10 of the Corn Production Act, 1 ( .»17. r. cently repealed, 

 with the object of enabling Agricultural Committees to deal w ith the 



* This Journal, January, 1922, p. 942, 



i: 



