International Agricultural Institute. 



29 



formation concerning diseases of plants. It will report on 

 the subject of health and disease in the vegetable kingdom 

 in general, with the more definite duty of notifying the 

 appearance of new diseases of plants, indicating the areas 

 affected, the remedial measures, and reporting on the legisla- 

 tion adopted or contemplated. 



The Institute must also be a centre for statistics and 

 observation regarding the wages of agricultural labour and 

 the organisation of agricultural co-operation, insurance and 

 credit. 



Finally, the Institute may take the initiative on a very 

 delicate subject. It has the option of presenting to Govern- 

 ments, for their approval, measures for the protection of 

 interests common to agriculturists, and for the improvement 

 of their condition. The Convention in this connection 

 recommends the Institute to examine resolutions adopted by 

 international Congresses or other Agricultural Associations. 

 This selection of resolutions, which is one of the duties of 

 the Institute, is theoretically of considerable importance 

 because it implies on the part of the founders of the Institute 

 a formal recognition of the actual and future utility of inter- 

 national Congresses, and a justification of the existence of the 

 Commission which ensures their permanence. 



From the practical point of view, the difficulty of utilising 

 the work of private bodies is simplified. The decision also 

 refutes the ill-founded reproach which has been made against 

 the International Institute; viz., that it neglects private 

 agricultural interests. Private bodies, without any restraint, 

 have every reason to merge into national or international 

 Federations ; to pass resolutions at national and international 

 Congresses, and to transmit them to the International 

 Agricultural Institute, whose duty it is, in conformity with 

 Art. 9 of the Convention, to consider them in drafting its 

 own proposals to the Governments. 



Income of the Institute. 



It was necessary to provide regular and considerable re- 

 sources so as to enable the Institute to perform its extensive 

 work. The principle of State subvention was adopted, i.e., 

 by grants to which the General Assembly assents each year. 



