A UNIQUE MUSEUM.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 124, 16 May 1908, Page 3

A UNIQUE MUSEUM.

HOW I-IL'XUAIIY EXCOUtAIiIOS AURICULTUKK % I'ercy Alden, il.L'., i„ W,,,i,i,i„ster iJazette.)

Yarosligci, tlie fonioiw town park uf iiiuliijjoat, lias two special ic.ihiics. b;itli of tbciu of great interest. Xlie lust is the J'lower liondeuu—an example ul artistic giinleiiiiig—ami the second is tile Royal Aluseum of Agriculture, situated ou Szechenyi island and guarde 1 by I lie beautiful park lake. This unh.m: museum i s beyond doubt the linest institution of its kind in the world, and even the Lyngliy Museum in Denmark is far lillerioi both in the variety and scienli-

lie arrangement of ita oxbiiriUs. Tin- encouragement which it lias given to tin. development of agriculture and its allied industries cannot be exaggerated. J),., signed by the Hungarian, Aljjar, it re- I I Feseiiu tile various styles of iircliitee- |

ture in Hungary, irom the Middle A-cs down to modern times—the most interes'ting group being perhaps the (iotli'c imitation of Vajda-Hunyad Castle, i'lii. together with the Kenaissaiice and Human wings, constitutes a monunicmai and. imposing pile of buildings. I i " U! HHtseum was um ' I ™ti.hlijfhed on Szecheiiyi Island until the following year, and then only in poi'ary buildings, which proved iiuile inadequate for this special purpose.

Oovernment grant of about .L'lUo.Do'ii ! »as made i, L IUOO for a new museiui. 1 but the present magnificent edilicc ui ! I marble and stone wa ß not finally coin- I pleted until hist year. In m a ' nv . i spects the collections, got together im- I i ei the supervision of Councillor Franci. de saarussy Kapeller arid Or. I'aikcr ale almost as perfect a« they can l. ; ' made, ami their educative effect upon tlie Kumers and agriculturists of the country is undoubted.

Tlie present Minister of Agriculture. Ul. Daranyi, is responsible for the idea which has thus taken shape. His object was to present to the agriculturists, landowners, ami horticulturists of Huugary a picture of the processes, method 1 ; ami products whieh may be considered essential to the proper development of these industries. The result is that not only Hungarians,, but farmers from all parts of the world, have profited by this undertaking, and, in view of the importance that is now being attached to the encouragement of agriculture in Jiin». and and to the immense interest that has been aroused by the Small Holdings Act 01 last year, it is worth while considering whether such a museum would not greatly encourage our owu country 111 any case, it is desirable thai its existence should be known to all JCn-»li^li- ! men willing to receive without preju- ! (lice the lessons which the Continent J lias to teach us. \

Tho first thing that strikes the average visitor is the extraordinary u.-c that ha* been made of the window*. Di -\- positive photographs of farms, cottages, orchards,, vineyards, and animals. it?usirating agriculture in every part of lumgary, occupy the lower divisions of each window. In a few moments it w possible to get an idea from thes.< photograph* which it would be dillienlt to obtain by many days of sightseeing, and the scientific arrangement adiis greatly to their value from the point of view of the student. Every section of the exhibition displays evidence of the thought and care which must have been lavished upon it by Dr. Paikcr'.. who is the Director of (he Museum. i)r, Paikert has spent considerable period* both in America and in Canada, for the express purpose ol studying agriculture, and he an accurate and complete knowledge of the agricultural problem-, not only of his own country but of tho Far West. Jli s aim has been to show the Hungarian farmer how to obtain the best results not only in the breeding of horses and eatlle but also in everv department of agriculture and viniculture. Beginning with the collection of map*, graphicons, and models which were exhibited at the Hungarian Millennium Inhibition of he has gradually added to it. until now it is comprehensive of everything that Hungary produces Irom the soil aud of many industries which are subsidiary. These models aud maps are actually made in the workroom*; of the museum, and are exact representation.-, of the cattle and horses, of the llowers and fruit, vegetables and cereals, of the eountrv. In addition to these, everything likely to retard or to rpiicken the growth of fraP. flowers, and cereals- is illustrated both' in picture* anil models. All the injurious insects and destructive birds and animals are represented in each department, ami practical instruction is given to the farmer or horticulturist to enable him to deal with these unwelcome visitor*. The agricultural sections are housed in the beautiful halls of the Renaissance building: the forestry, fishing, and game in the (iothic Castle of Vajda-ilunyad; while in the Roman building are the library, laboratories, and auditorium.

Hungary's chief agricultural products are wheat ami \vlic;il - Hour. horses, .ui.l wine, though she iilso exports cattle, hogs, eggs, .wool, tiiulicr. and a large t|iianlit,v of fruii of the tirst qualitv Still, it is to wheat thai Hungary onus lirr supremacy in agriculture. AH the so-called Austrian lima- and wheat its Hungarian, and it is from tier wc obtain tile line-cpialily breads which are now consumed in every capital of Europe. The Hour mill, upon the Buda side of the. Kiver Danube are the largest, in Europe, and will compare in. size with the mammoth mills of the United States. .Naturally, therefore, the Wheat Hall is of great importance, and in it we lind a display of samples collected by the Minister of Agriculture from fifty-three ditleront parts of Hungary for ten successive years. Both wheat and soil have been carefully analysed, and the results are presented with every sample exhibited. Not only so, but specimens of wheat iroiu other countries are shown side by side, so that a rapid comparison may be made. No less- than 89.93 per eent. of the whole arable area in Hungary is wheat, and. the possibilities for the future are shown by the fact that the. product is at present, on the average, 40 per cent. Jess per acre than in England.

To many, 110 doubt, the most interesting part of the whole exhibition would be the section devoted to the display of ■ horses anil cattle. Here we can 'lind pictures illustrative of the most famous animals painted by Adam and Blaas; also beautiful and artistic models of horses run tie by the sculptors Vastagh and Xala: and a great variety of coloured photographs dealing with other domestic animals. Not far from the lioval Hall, in which these exhibits are placed, i s a large court reserved for an exhibition of the State farm of Godollo, the home of the Hungarian State studs. These stud iai'ms send out year by year an increasing number of animals to different parts of the country, with a view to improve the breed and to assist the poorer districts. The .Minister of Agriculture also uses the Crown lands tit tlodollo for various other purposes; thus be has organised a poultry farm, a State 1 bee farm, and a State tree nursery. To i those who are unable to visit these ! farms and study the methods that are being employed, the museum affords an excellent opportunity of seeing in miniature the various enterprises to which the State has set its hand and the conditions which prevail in the respective districts*

The Department of Architecture J'nr : nielies models of cottages for small holders, agricultural labourers, &c., and one of the most interesting exhibits of the whole collection is a model of u small holder's homestead, with cottage and garden attached, based upon the Hungarian law of last year. The working of tliic> new law would, however, require an article in itself, and it must suffice to say that, though modelled upon peasant-proprietorship linos rather than the system adopted by our own Act,! this legislation will certainly bring a very large quantity of land under more intensive cull i vat ion. It also affords hope to a considerable number of agricultural labourers either of independence on (he soil or of a better wage resulting from the greater competition for labour. Wherever wo turn, we find

valuable aids to some branch of agriculture or an allied industry; dairying, wine-culture, agricultural schools, and

experiment farms, bee-culture, breeding, forestry, and fishing—all these are displayed before our eves in such admirable and Hc.ientilie fashion that even the tourist, though a fool, cannot err therein. ITe is bound to learn something that is of value; while the serious student, whether Magyar or foreigner, must greatly benefit by the many advantages offered lo hiin. The great industries nf most importance to the countrv—agriculture and forestry—arc given their rightful place*, and Dr. T)a ranyi deservo not oulv the gratitude of his fellow-countrymen but the pin cere thanks of <overv visitor *o thi model and unique institution, Wha , Government would be enterprising enough to do the same for England?