1908.] Experiment Stations in Austria. 131 



both for experimental purposes and with a view to affording 

 a practical object lesson to agriculturists. The area of the 

 farm is about 35 acres, divided into about 25 half-acre p ots 

 for the growth of ordinary crops, small experimenta' plots 

 covering about 5 acres, a forest nursery, and vegetable and 

 botanical gardens. Experimental and demonstration plots 

 have been established elsewhere. Other sections of the Vienna 

 station are devoted to research in connection with wine 

 growing, dairying, fishing, and technical chemistry. 



In 1902, the section relating to bacteriology was separated 

 from the chemical station, and established as a semi- 

 independent branch for agricultural bacteriology and plant 

 protection. An important part of its duties has been 

 the organization of arrangements for the prevention of plant 

 diseases and insect attacks. With the assistance of the pro- 

 vincial authorities, a number of " information bureaux " 

 have been created in different parts of the country, which 

 advise as to the steps to be taken against insects and fungi, 

 and, in important cases, undertake the direction of measures 

 against them. Subsidiary to these centres there are a large 

 number of honorary " reporters," chiefly farmers, gardeners 

 and fruit-growers, whose duty it is to furnish particulars as 

 to the occurrence of pests. There are at present 30 centres 

 and 1,060 reporters, but the increase of these numbers is con- 

 templated. The bacteriological station keeps in touch with 

 and assists these reporters and centres, gives information and 

 advice, distributes leaflets and supplies information to the press. 



Another central institution in Vienna is the seed testing 

 control station, which was originally established in a very 

 small way by the Royal Austrian Agricultural Society in i88i> 

 with the help of a small State grant. It grew, however, very 

 rapidly, the number of tests made increasing from 122 in 1881 

 to 9,801 in 1891 and. to 16,770 in 1895. The number of samples 

 tested has since doubled. In the last named year it was made a 

 State institution, and its functions were extended to include 

 investigation and research in agricultural botany. A large 

 number of trials are carried on with different varieties of plants. 



As regards the seed testing part of its work, an arrangement 

 is made whereby certain firms of seedsmen enter into an 

 undertaking with the authorities of the station to sell their 



I 2 



