The Central Establishments embraces six divisions. The division for Agriculture
has been for the most part engaged in local experiments made in the different
country districts. These experiments, which had already been begun in Sweden
by certain of the Agricultural Societies'as early as the close-of the last
century, and which were intended to discover the most suitable manures for
the soil in various places, and also to carry out of trials with certain sorts of
seed, have been more or less intimately included under this division. In addition
to this, experiments have been carried out at the Experimentalfaltet
just outside Stockholm, and on other farms in the country, in connection with
the preparation of the soil, manuring, the cultivation of plants, etc. In the division
for Agricultural Chemistry the chief experiments have been those made in
pots, for the purpose of discovering the relative effects and values of different
manures. The division for Cattle-breeding has, by means of experiments on large
farms, determined the values of many of our different kinds of cattle-foods ;
in close connection with this stand the D a iry . experiments intended to solve
problems connected with the Swedish dairy trade. A separate division has lately
been created by the separation, from the last-mentioned division of the Bacteriological
department, for the study of the microflora of the soil, manures, and
milk In addition, there is a division for Agricultural Botany, which is chiefly
directed to the study of the diseases of cultivated plants and of the methods of
combating these diseases, while, finally, there is the Entomological division,
which carries out investigations respecting the insects and animals injurious to
agriculture, and the protective measures to be adopted against them.
The management of the various divisions is entrusted to 6 professors and 2
chief assistants, who are stationed at the above-mentioned Experimentalfaltet
near Stockholm, where the institutes and the dwellings of the staffs are situated.
During the last few years, the annual cost of this experimental work amounted
in round numbers to 140 000 kronor. An account of tlm work done and the
results obtained is given in a series of “M ed delandenwhich, during the yeai
1913, amounted to no less than 88; in addition to these; there have been
published 40 fly-sheets, containing notices of smaller scope.
As before mentioned, there are carried out local experiments, arranged by the
Agricultural Societies, besides experiments with certain sorts of seeds of cultivated
plants, made by the direction of the Swedish Seed Association. To some, extent,
these co-operate with the work done by the Agricultural Societies describee
above. Quite independent, however, is the work carried out by the Swedish
Moor-Culture Association, the Phyto-Biological Establishment at Luleâ gsr the latter
for the purpose of solving problems connected with cultivation and manures in
Upper Norrland — and the two Agricultural High Schools at Alnarp and Ultima.
Seed Control Offices.
The first establishment for the testing of grain and seed was opened m
1869, at Tharandt (Saxony) by Professor Nobbe; a few years later, in 18(6,
seed control was introduced into Sweden by Aug. Lyttkens, at Nydala in Hallancl
Lan. Seed control in Sweden can, therefore, now look back on 38 years of
work; work which has been of importance for the agriculture of the country in
more respects than one. At present there are 17 seed control offices in Sweden
supported by public means. At first the seed control offices were, maintained
by the agricultural societies alone; since 1887, however, the Riksdag has placed
at the disposal, of the Government every year a sum of 10 000 kronor, to be
employed for the support of those seed control offices which receive grants from
agricultural societies or County Councils o f at least the same amount as those
given by the State, and which agree to be governed the regulations laid down by
the Government. The instructions now in force for seed control offices, supported
by public means are issued by the Board of Agriculture and date from the 10
June, 1914; they are accompanied by special rules for seed control examinations.
These instructions, when suitable, have te en adopted in Denmark and Norway
too. The total number of analyses carried out at the Swedish seed control
offices amounted during the working season l/ i 1913— 3% 1914 to 17 100, while
5 708 482 kilograms of seeds, or 67 602 sacks were officially sealed. During
the year 1913 there was received from public means, in addition to the above-
mentioned 10 000 kronor from the State, a sum of 16 610 kronor from various
bodies in the different Ians.
Sowing Seed Question.
At the close of the “seventies” there began a new period for plant cultivation
in Swedish agriculture. The extensive export of grain, which, during the few previous
decades, had formed the chief source of income for the farmers, began
gradually to decline p n consequence, of the pressure caused by the increasing
; supplies of cheaper grain sent to the European markets from trans-oceanie
countries. The immediate result of this was that far greater attention was paid
to | cattle-breeding and dairy farming, but there also arose an endeavour to
utilize the advantages. — much spoken of at the tim e jflig o f a northern climate
for the production of good sowing-seed, to create a fresh branch of export —
that : of grain and seed for sowing purposes in more southern countries. This
question was discussed with th e greatest eagerness at special seed congresses and
exhibitions; local seed-cultivation and sowing-seed associations were formed, and
sample shipments were made to most of the countries of Europe.
The result of This experiment was, however, quite different from what had been
expected, and it became .evident that it was necessary , first to procure better
and more prolific varieties before there could be any possibility of taking up the
•struggle on the seed markets of the continent.. It was to solve this problem
''that the Svalov- Association was formed, which then became the body that — more
than any ^ other‘s institution in the country -— brought the sowing-seed question
to a position which nobody could have anticipated at the beginning.
Gradually, however, new conditions arose, which once more called for fresh
efforts in the sowing-seed question, and led to the formation of new seed cultivation
associations, whose field of operations Was a more restricted one. In
consequence of an increasing import of red clover seed, of the ordinary, greatly
varying qualities found in the world’s markets, and which were seldom’ suitable
tor the climatic conditions over the greater part of Sweden, a general sense of
insecurity had gradually grown up with regard to the Swedish trade in this
md seed,_ and, as a result, in the whole department of the grass cultivation
of the. country. The situation, aggravated by the failure of the clover-seed
larvest in 1902, became a most threatening one; a movement was aroused in
arming circles which soon led to the adoption of energetic measures for the
preservation • of the valuable resources possessed by Sweden in its native late
clover, and to secure an increased supply of seed of this kind.
As the result of an investigation made by the Board of Agriculture, a State
grant has been annually made since 1907, amounting at first to 15 000 kronor
ut at present to 20 ()00 kronor, to the agricultural societies which had taken
steps in the direction mentioned above, especially by the organization of seed
cultivation associations, which could take the matter in hand direct. As a result
o such associations have sprung into existence in various parts of the country’
Rich now endeavour in various ways to promote the production and spread of