Report to the ... Zionist Congress and to the Council of the Jewish Agency in ... · 1935-08-01 · 8.1935 · p. Seite 339

co-operation between research work and practice and thus give the fanners of the settlement the benefits of the results obtained from various scientific experiments in methods of cultivation, rotation of crops, foodstuffs, irrigation, methods of using manure, etc., by means of instruction and lectures as well as by setting up model extension fields in the farms. The model extension fields fulfil an important task in the work of the instructor. These are conducted in a systematic way, and when sending the results obtained in such fields to the Experimental Station, the experts of the latter are able to compare these results with those obtained in the fields of the Station, and then to diagnose correctly. Through the Extension Service, the Experimental Station helped in combating diseases, fighting harmful insects, as well as in examining the milk products, the quality of the soil and water. The experts of the Station paid frequent visits to the settlements, where they left the necessary instructions, which were afterwards carried out under the supervision of the instructors. The Extension Service was considerably assisted this year by the specialists' Unions of the various branches of mixed farming which were, established by the settlers themselves, and which helped the instructors to carry out all the instructions systematically. The Colonisation Department and the Experimental Station organised during the year several meetings with the Unions and the instructors for the purpose of clarifying certain problems engaging their attention, and fixing plans of action for the future. A. The work of the Plantation Section. 1. Instruction relating to the cultivation of vines and fruit trees in the country. 2. Practical instruction in planting, pruning and picking. 3. Practical instruction in packing and transport. 4. The preparation of statistical material on cultivation, marketing, and the preparation of material for fixing the size of areas for plantation in the coming season. 5. Practical instruction for the choice of the best kinds of vines. 6. Visits to the citrus area in Judea and Samaria and instructions for the coming working season. 7. A general review of the prospects of the citrus plantations and their position in agricultural economics in the Emek and Judea. 8. Practical instruction in combating diseases and fighting harmful insects. The Plantation Department has been reorganised this year, and the problems to be dealt with in the near future are : 1. A plantation Census in the settlement. 2. The fixing of the kinds of settlements. 3. The fixing of the zones which are most suitable for fruit trees. 4. The fixing of the necessary water quantities for irrigation. 339