Le Nord : revue internationale des Pays de Nord - 01.06.1942, Page 116

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LE NORD
advisers was estimated at some 3,000. The total number, how-
ever, was finally 4,763, because the districts and numbers of
farms were smaller than had been estimated. The Production
Division did not want to define in detail the agricultural advisers’
areas; this was left to the local people. A limit of 50—100 farms
per agricultural adviser was made a guiding principle and their
payment from State funds was fixed according to the number of
estates and hectares of arable land (20 marks per farm — in the
thinly populated communes of north and east Finland 30 marks —
and 1 mark per hectare). Experience has shown that as the
division was based upon the natural boundaries and the local con-
ditions, the agricultural advisers’ districts differ greatly. Some
include only 10—20 farms, while others have included over a
hundred. The large number of these advisers has caused some
criticism because people have seen in it an increase of govern-
ment officials in the country. They are, however, chosen by the
farmers themselves who have undertaken to arrange these matters
in the first place as confidential tasks apart from their ordinary
work. Their duties have decreased with the general diminishing
in size of the districts. The agricultural advisers did not intend
to “force” instructions upon the farmers nor to interfere with the
proprietors’ management, as some have alleged, but to furnish
guidance in the first place to those farmers who are in real need
of it and who are incontestably in the majority.
The provincial and local hodies carrying out the production
campaign instruction have worked with zeal and devotion all
through the spring. They carried out a far-reaching task in
a comparatively short time; and this year simple, written cui-
tivation plans have been worked out for practically all real
farms (approximately 300,000). The changes resulting from the
campaign were considered when deciding upon the area for
increasing production. Unfortunately difficulty in realising the
plans has prevented the changes in the use of arable land cor-
responding to them. Lack of all the essential factors of product-
ion have hindered its realisation, i. e. seed, fertilisation and labour.
The late spring — a difference of 2—3 weeks — has also had
an adverse effect. The spring sowings are now finished and it
can be stated with certainty that the difficulties have been for
the most part overcome by the instruction organisation. The agri-
cultural advisers and the district instructors especially have locally
carried out a very important task with regard to the sowing of