§ SIR WALTER PALMER (Salisbury)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture whether his attention has been drawn to experiments which have been carried on in America with a view to the propagation and use upon the land of nitrogen-producing bacteria; whether he is aware that certain rights relating to the method of preparation of these bacteria are the property of the United States Government, and that that Government is distributing packets of these bacteria free of charge to any farmers who apply for them, and that the result of such distribution has been beneficial for farming; and, if so, can he say whether any rights relating to the preparation of these nitrogen-producing bacteria would prevent His Majesty's Government from adopting a similar course; and, if not, whether he is prepared to recommend that a similar free distribution be adopted in this country.
§ *THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE (Mr. AILWYS FELLOWES,) Huntingdonshire, RamseyYes, my attention has been directed to the interesting experiments to which my hon. friend refers, and we have published some articles on the subject in our monthly journal, with copies of which I shall be happy to supply him. Experiments as to the value of nitrogen-producing bacteria are now being carried out under our auspices by several of the agricultural colleges in this country, and so soon as the results are known we shall consider what further action in the matter can be taken in the interest of British agriculturists. I understand that the process of producing and cultivating the bacteria has been patented by the United States Department of 462 Agriculture, but I gather that the Department do not propose indefinitely to continue its gratuitous distribution. There appears to be nothing to prevent the manufacture and sale of the material in this country.
§ MR. LONSDALE (Armagh, Mid.)Will the benefit of the experiments extend to Ireland?
§ *MR. AILWYN FELLOWESYes, Sir.