490 International Congress at Madrid, [sept., 



buted. These dealt especially with State intervention in 

 irrigation. In that country the demand is unanimous that 

 the State should supply at the proper times the water that is 

 indispensable for agricultural operations. To this end the 

 establishment of a hydrological department is advocated, for 

 the purpose of surveying and improving the water supply. 

 The principle of subventions in aid of the construction of 

 irrigation canals was approved on the ground of the eminently 

 productive character of such undertakings, and assistance was 

 asked, not only for new undertakings, but also for the exten- 

 sion of those already existing. In addition to the utilisation 

 of surface streams, the investigation of underground sources 

 of water was included. 



The section also considered the question of weirs and 

 the use of water power for electric power stations, under- 

 takings that have a direct effect on the water supply for 

 agricultural purposes. On this subject M. Leon Dabat pre- 

 sented a paper on the distribution of electric power, the con- 

 clusions of which were adopted by the section. They may 

 be summarised as follows : — In granting concessions for the 

 use of water for the purpose of electric power works, the 

 concessionaires should only be allowed to charge a certain 

 price for the sale of power for raising water for purposes of 

 general utility, particularly for irrigation, sanitary purposes* 

 drinking water, &c. 



Statistics. — The second section dealt with the collection and 

 use of statistics. The discussion resulted in a series of resolu- 

 tions in the following terms : — 



1 . That an official statistical department should be organised 

 in every country for the purpose of providing farmers 

 with all the information they require to enable them 

 to arrange their production, and that sufficient financial 

 resources should be placed at the disposal of this department. 

 It should be arranged that the statistics should be published 

 as often and as rapidly as possible. 



2. That legislative or administrative means should be taken 

 in each country to verify and publish as frequently as possible, 

 not only the prices actually current for the products of agri- 

 culture and agricultural industries, but also the quantities 

 offered and sold at each rate quoted in the official lists. 



