29. Brigadier-General BROWNasked the Minister of Agriculture whether it is the policy of the Ministry to encourage county councils to contribute to agricultural research institutes; and, if so, whether the Ministry is prepared to reimburse county councils to the extent of two-thirds of their contributions to approved agricultural research institutions as part of their agricultural education expenditure?
Mr. GUINNESSTen local authorities already made grants in aid of the work carried out at certain research institutes, and my Department welcomes these contributions. The answer to the last part of the question is in the affirmative.
30. Brigadier-General BROWNasked the Minister of Agriculture what steps are being taken, through county agricultural committees or other agencies, to disseminate to farmers and smallholders the knowledge of crop cultivation gained by research institutes at Rothamsted and other places, and the knowledge of milk and dairying researches at Shinfield, Reading; and whether the facilities given to various bodies of agriculturists from time to time to visit these institutes for instructional purposes are being increasingly taken advantage of or not?
Mr. GUINNESSThe results of the work of agricultural research institutes are brought before farmers and smallholders through the agency of the staffs of the county councils and agricultural colleges by means of lectures, visits to research stations, and publications. A full description of the system and the agencies employed will be found in the Report of the Intelligence Department of the Ministry for 1921–24, and in particular on pages 13 and 14. The 16 numbers of farmers and others who visit research stations have very greatly increased in recent years.