330 
Tlie French Peasant-Farmers Seed Fund. 
(c) Barlev. 
{d) Oats.' 
(e) Clovers and srrasses. 
(f) Turnips and other roots. 
{()) Potatoes. 
(h) Tares and other fodder crops. 
(?) Anv other crop extensivelj grown in the dis- 
trict. 
D What means of cultivating the land are at present 
possessed by the pejisant-farmers of the district, 
viz. : — 
(a) By men. 
(ft) women and children, 
(c) „ horses. 
id) „ oxen and other animals, 
(e) ,, implements. 
2. Can seeds for spring sowing be bought in the district ; or, if 
near the frontier, at any depots across it ; and, if so, at what 
price ? 
3. What means are possessed by the farmers of the district to 
enable them to purchase seeds ? 
A large number of replies to these questions were received 
from all portions of the invaded region, and they revealed a state 
of exhaustion of the agricultural community that rendered the 
knowledge almost more perplexing to the Committee than their 
original ignorance. It was, however, obvious that too much 
seed-corn could not be sent into districts in which, according to 
these statements, it was " entirely wanting and it was satis- 
factory to receive repeated and distinct assurances from expe- 
rienced agriculturists that the latest period of sowing spring wheat 
was not until March 15th, and in some districts April 1st, while 
oats and barley were commonly sown until April 15th, and in 
some districts until the beginnins of Mav. As the information 
clearly showed that the wants of the peasant-farmers were infinitely 
greater than there was anv likelihood of the Committee being able 
to supply, it was a matter of necessity to limit the distribution 
to bond jide peasant-farmers who had suffered by the war, and to 
restrict the quantity given so as to extend the donations of the 
Fund to the greatest number of persons while conferring a sub- 
stantial benefit in each case. The Committee, therefore, decided 
to instruct their representatives, who were charged with the dis- 
tribution of corn and seeds, not to allow claims made by persons 
occupying more than 50 English acres (20 hectares), and not to 
give to any occupier more than 8 bushels of wheat, or 12 bushels 
of barley, or 16 bushels of oats, or a proportionate quantity of 
