i8 



International Agricultural Institute. 



The problem presented by the two other Bulletins, which 

 were commenced last autumn, is much more serious and 

 complex. It will be remembered that each of them consists 

 of 200 to 250 pages, and the translation, especially that of the 

 Bulletin of Agricultural Intelligence and Plant Diseases, 

 presents considerable difficulties owing to the technical terms 

 which it is necessary to use. 



These Bulletins are, for the time being, published in two 

 languages — French and English — although the Institute is 

 most anxious to publish them as soon as possible in the other 

 universal languages. Why have we selected English next 

 to French ? The reason is clear. Not only is the English 

 language the most widespread in the world, but the people 

 speaking that language take a pride in one of their defects, 

 viz., that of not knowing foreign languages. If we had not 

 issued an English edition, a very great part of the human 

 race would have been completely ignorant of our publications, 

 and perhaps also of our existence — a state of affairs which 

 would not be creditable to the Institute. 



It is therefore our desire and our most earnest hope to 

 commence as soon as possible, and perhaps before the end 

 of this year, the translations in other languages. 



By what means are we to meet so considerable an expense ? 

 The proposal w T hich has been examined and accepted in prin- 

 ciple by the Permanent Committee is that we ought to meet 

 the ordinary expenses of the Institute, including the prepara- 

 tion of the Bulletins — both of which expenses are likely to 

 increase — by the contributions of the Governments and of the 

 King of Italy ; and that after a preliminary period we should 

 pay for the expenses of translation, printing, and postage 

 with the voluntary contributions of interested persons. 



Subscriptions and Advertisements. 



What are the voluntary contributions of interested persons 

 to which I refer? Before everything — the subscriptions. 



It is clear that the more interesting our publications become, 

 the more the subscriptions will increase, and they will increase 

 particularly in the countries in which agriculturists can read 



