334 



GENERAL AGRICULTURAL NOTES. 



[Dec. 1895. 



requisite teaching staff shall have been formed and the necessary 

 arrangements completed with the Communal authorities. 



The subsidies hitherto granted to the Agricultural school 

 belonging to the Maatschappij van Weldadigheid at Fredriks- 

 vord, to the Netherlands Horticultural Society, and to a similar 

 society at Maestricht, will be continued. Subsidies will also be 

 allotted in aid of winter courses in those places where sufficient 

 local interest is shown. 



The Minister puts the primary cost of establishing the new 

 horticultural school at 8,11 U., with a yearly expenditure of 

 791?. for the staff to be employed, and of 250?. for equipment. 

 It is estimated that a further outlay of 1,250?. will be required 

 for putting in order the ground destined for the school. 



Swiss Subventions in aid of Agriculture. 



A parliamentary paper* was issued in 1894 containing reports, 

 made at the request of the Royal Commission on Agricultural 

 Depression, on the direct action taken by the Governments of 

 various foreigTi countries to promote the interests of agriculture. 

 Amongst those countries was Switzerland. Since the date of 

 the report for this country, a new law (Law of 22nd December 

 1893), modifying the conditions under which the various Govern- 

 ment subsidies are granted, has been enacted. 



As noticed in the parliamentary paper referred to (pp. 183-7) 

 the direct encouragement of agriculture is to a great extent left 

 to the cantons and private enterprise. In fact, the initiative, 

 where fresh work in this direction is undertaken, is always left 

 to the cantonal administration and to societies or individuals, 

 the aim of the Federal Government being to help existing insti- 

 tutions. In all cases concerning any enterprise officially con- 

 nected with a canton, the subsidy accorded by the latter must 

 be at least equal to that of the State. 



The subventions accorded by the Government may be grouped 

 under three main heads : (a) subventions in aid of agricultural 

 education ; (6) subventions in aid of the improvement of animals 

 and the land ; (c) indemnification against calamities which 

 threaten agriculture. Indemnification for animals slaughtered 

 on account of contagious diseases is paid by the different cantons, 

 except in the case of the cattle plague, when, subject to the 

 proper regulations being enforced, one half of the indemnity 

 paid may be refunded to the canton by the State ; also, if by 

 an unusual extension of pleuro-pneumonia, or other extra- 

 ordinary circumstance, the expenses under this head are so 

 abnormal as to be a serious burden on the canton, the State 

 may defray a portion. 



* C— 7356. 



