1920.] Notes. 1059 



expenditure. He went on to say that the time was considered 

 ripe for a wide extension of demonstration work and for a 

 campaign of enlightenment among farmers. Jt is proposed to 

 establish grass plots as far and wide as possible, preferably by 

 the road-side. Demonstrations will so be carried on that the 

 most casual passer can see, almost at a glance, the improve- 

 ments that a little skill and care may bring about. Professor 

 Somerville of Oxford, and Professor Stapledon of Aberystwyth, 

 two of our greatest authorities on grass land improvement, will 

 deliver a series of lectures in different parts of the country 

 and will place their knowledge at the disposal not only of the 

 Ministry, but of all Local Authorities throughout the country. 

 The trials to be carried out will be regulated by the conditions 

 that obtain in each county, and the work will be left in the 

 hands of the County and College Authorities. Dr. Somerville, 

 who lollowed Sir Daniel Hall in addressing the Conference, 

 stated that after nearly thirty years' work on grass land 

 improvement he had come to the conclusion that there was no 

 form of experiment and expenditure likely to bring about 

 such important results. He reminded the audience that we 

 have in this country at present over sixteen milhon acres 

 of grass land, by far the greater part of which can be very 

 considerably improved. The plans as outlined met with general 

 approval, a scheme of demonstration and experiment was con- 

 sidered, and the details have since been pubHshed (see p. 1133). 



^ sjc 2^ s|c «i« 



A Rural Industries Branch has been established at the 

 Ministry/ of Agriculture for the purpose of propaganda and for 

 developing organisation in connection with 



RwIl^InTuLils. ^^^P'"g °^ P'g'' P°^'*'^y.' Soats, rabbits 

 and bees, and the preservation of frmt and 



vegetables. The Branch will also deal with schemes for the 



development of Rural Industries and social Hfe in rural places 



and for the co-ordination of action by Local Authorities and 



other bodies by which such development may be effected. 



The establishment of this Branch, which has been placed in 



charge of Sir John Green, late of the Rural League, marks a 



definite effort on the part of the Ministry to give a measure of 



permanence to conditions that arose during the War, when 



the submarine campaign became so great a menace that it 



was necessary to stimulate production, not only on the large 



farms, but on the smallest of small holdings and allotments. 



In the opinion of those best quaUfied to judge, the agricultural 



labourer and other dwellers in rural areas will have better 



4 B 2 



