492 



Agriculture in Southern Italy. 



experiment conducted in Germany, this food can with advan- 

 tage be mixed with barley in equal proportions, or in the 

 proportion of two parts of barley to one of molasses. The 

 use of small quantities of bone meal and of hardwood ashes 

 has been found to produce very beneficial results in the case 

 of pigs fed on maize meal, the quantities used per week being 

 about three-fifths of a pound of bone-meal, or about two 

 pounds of ashes. Cooked potatoes, mangolds, and carrots 

 are also said to be profitably used with grain without any 

 injurious effects on the bacon. 



Agriculture in Southern Italy. 



In his Consular Report on the trade of Southern Italy for 

 1899, Mr. Consul Neville Rolfe states that the harvest in the 

 past season was good over the greater part of Italy, this 

 leading to a considerable reduction in the imports of grain. 

 Italian agriculture would, it is thought, greatly profit by 

 better cultivation, more capital, and especially co-operation. 

 In this connection Mr. Neville Rolfe considers that the best 

 scheme hitherto proposed has been the creation of a central 

 Chamber of Agriculture in Rome, under the control of 

 Parliament, with 1,800 local centres scattered all over the 

 country. These local centres should absorb the numerous 

 small societies formed for the encouragement of the various 

 branch industries which come under the definition of agricul- 

 ture. 



A considerable extension of the acreage under sugar-beet 

 is contemplated. Hitherto this cultivation and the erection 

 of sugar refineries have been confined to the northern portion 

 of this consular district, but it is now proposed to grow the 

 crop largely in the province of Benvenuto, and a company 

 has been formed to erect works on a large scale. Many local: 

 landowners have consented to grow the root on what is known 

 in Southern Italy as " subscription of land," by which the 

 landowner stands in the same position as the shareholder 

 who has invested money in the concern. Refiners are stated 



