Irrigation and Improvements.— Whilst in northern Italy irrigation has from ancient times been carried on, in the other portions it is more kcent, and not so complete, in others again it is entirely lacking, owing not alone to nat ural obstacles such as the rugged tbpogtaphical aspect of the and the perennial drought, but also to the persistence of obsolete methods of cultivation. In fact, whilst the valley of the Po is extensively irrigated, and the valley of the Serchio to a great extent, the valleys of the Arno and the Tiber remain neglected. Similarly, whilst the beautiful plain of Sulmona takes advantage of the waters of the tributaries of the Pescara, lower valleys of this and the adjacent littoral regions are parched in summer.
The area of land under irrigation in the kingdom, including vegetable gardens and orchards, is estimated at two-thirds of the total area of lands that may be irrigated with eco nomic advantage.
Indications of Agricultural Progress.— Some of the important indications of the pro gressive movement in Italian agriculture are the importation of the increasing use of chemical fertilizers, particularly in north ern and central Italy, and the importation of agricultural machines and implements. The en tire imports of fertilizing material which in 1901 amounted to 2,848,646 cwt. (1,421,090 cwt. of mineral phosphates, fertilizers; Thomas Gil christ, 254,760 cwt.), at a cost of $4,712,563, rose in 1905 to 4,435,197 cwt. (2,401,440 mineral phos phates; Gilchrist fertilizer, 674,590 cwt.), at a cost of $6,504,770. The use of as land fertilizer increased from 3,000,000 cwt. in 1900 to 5,000,030 cwt. in 1905.
Agricultural Associations.— The work of agricultural associations, the combined acquisi tion of agricultural materials, has aided largely in introducing and spreading the employment of chemical fertilizers and agricultural chinery.
The Italian Federation of Agricultural Asso ciations, founded in 1892, consisted in 1900 of 229 agricultural associations and the consign ation of goods imported amounted to $721,359. In 1905 the federated associations numbered 468 and the value of the imports had risen to $1,877,837.
Not all the agricultural associations are members of the federation; many are branches affiliated with the agrarian associations and committees. The 'Committee of Purchase •for the Agricultural Association of Friuli (Udine) gives the following figures: In 1905, nitrate of soda distributed 4,000 cwt.; in 1906, 7,800 cwt in 1907, 15,000 cwt. In 1905 they distributed
150,000 cwt. of phosphates; in 1906, 200,000; in 1907 350,000 cwt.
Italiana del Consorzi gave to its associates during the year 1905 agrarian machines for an amount as high as $452,000.
Agrarian Insurance Associations have grown and done well in .Italy with the purpose of compensating agricultural classes for acci dental damages to crops or cattle. Twenty such associations operating especially against dam ages by hailstones were reported in 1916 as having reimbursed damages for an amount of $5,199,749.
Agricultural Classes: Economical Reports and Hygienic Conditions.— According to the census of 10 Feb. 1901, the agricultural popu lation was numbered 16,836,551; of whom those above 15 years of age, namely, the adult people %if. elVA A total 413,509 higher than in the year 1881. The persons employed in agriculture between the ages of 9 and 15 years of age comprised 9,611,003 individuals.
The number of males employed in agricul ture (6,411,001) is double that of females (3, 200,002). To every 100 males employed in agni culture there are, in Piedmont, 77 women; in Liguria, 65; in the Marches and Abruzzi, '64; 56 in Venetia; 53 in Lombardy; 52 in the duchies of Emilia, and only 5 in Sardinia in Sicily, and 31 in Apulia.
The highest percentage of male agriculturl ists who worked their own land or that of their family was in Piedmont, Liguria and Abruzzi; the lowest was in Romagna, Calabria, Sicily and Tuscany. Tenant farms are found in nota ble numbers only in Lathan, Apulia and Cam pania. Farms abound more particularly in Venetia, Campania, Basilicata and in the Emil ian ex-duchies. They are rarer in Umbria,. La tium, the Marches, Tuscany, Sardinia, •Ro magna and Sicily. Farming on shares is cus tomary in the Marches, in Tuscany, Umbria and Romagna, and rare in Apulia, Basilicata,.Pied mont and Sardinia. The countrymen paid for: regular work are found especially in Lombardy, Basilicata, in the ex-duchies of Emilia and in Sicily; those paid by the day, in Apulia, Sicily, Calabria, Sardinia and Latium.
As regards agricultural contracts, as Jacini observed, the Italian nation has shown great dis cernment. One can see clearly that the char acter of the existing contracts to-day was owing, not to chance, but to local conditions. Every form of contract would be more or less successful, according to the character of the contracting parties, and as they corresponded or not to the physical and economic conditions of the particular locality.