1909.] Agricultural Education in the Netherlands. 381 



Groningen, the first operation being the disposal of the peat 

 for fuel and other purposes. 



This land belonged to the town of Groningen, but has now 

 been sold to farmers. When the peat was cleared off, the 

 sandy soil which remained contained really no manurial con- 

 stituents, but was of a good physical character. At first 

 town manure from Groningen was used with good results, 

 and this manure went up to a high price; but now the cost 

 of this horse and cow dung has been greatly reduced owing 

 to the use of artificial manures. This land has greatly in- 

 creased in value, and is now about as valuable as any in 

 Holland. Potatoes are grown with great success on this 

 newly reclaimed land. In this case, therefore, 105,000 acres 

 of sandy soil, nearly destitute of plant food, have been 

 made fertile, mainly by the scientific application of artificial 

 manures. The original condition of the land, however, before 

 reclamation, was of an exceptional character, and is 

 probably not to be found on any considerable area of un- 

 reclaimed land in this country. 



The total annual cost of Agricultural Education to the 

 Government of the Netherlands is now about ^50,000, and 

 in addition about ,£4,200 is contributed annually by the 

 provinces. 



In conclusion, great indebtedness must be expressed to the 

 following gentlemen, who most courteously gave every assist- 

 ance in the course of this inquiry: — Mr. Lovink, Director- 

 General of Agriculture at The Hague; Mr. C. Roest, Deputy 

 Director-General of Agriculture at The Hague; Mr. F. Smid, 

 Director of Agricultural Statistics at The Hague; Mr. L. 

 Broekema, Director of the State Higher Agricultural School 

 at Wageningen; Mr. T. G. J. Kakebeeke, Director of the 

 Winter School of Agriculture at Goes; Dr. De Ruyter De 

 Wildt, Director of the Analytical Station at Goes; Mr. 

 D. S. Huiezinga, Director of the Winter School of Agricul- 

 ture at Zutphen; and Mr. C. H. Claassen, Director of the 

 Winter School of Horticulture at Boskoop. The great 

 courtesy shown by the Director-General and the large amount 

 of help given by Mr. Kakebeeke, who has made a study of 

 the Agriculture of Britain, were of especial service. 



