On the history and use of some standard statistical models

This paper tries to tell the story of the general linear model, which saw the light of day 200 years ago, and the assumptions underlying it. We distinguish three principal stages (ignoring earlier more isolated instances). The model was first proposed in the context of astronomical and geodesic observations, where the main source of variation was observational error. This was the main use of the model during the 19th century. In the 1920's it was developed in a new direction by R.A. Fisher whose principal applications were in agriculture and biology. Finally, beginning in the 1930's and 40's it became an important tool for the social sciences. As new areas of applications were added, the assumptions underlying the model tended to become more questionable, and the resulting statistical techniques more prone to misuse.Comment: Published in at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/193940307000000419 the IMS Collections (http://www.imstat.org/publications/imscollections.htm) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org

Explaining Government Spending: a Cointegration Approach

Based on a comprehensive theoretical model we investigate the determinants of government spending. Besides GDP, commonly associated with either Walra´s law or Keynesian macro stabilization policies, we consider some variables identified with the public choice approach, namely median voters, pressure groups and the ideology of the government in power. These other variables are women, elderly population and population occupied in agriculture. The model is tested empirically using Johansen´s cointegration technique for the cases of Australia and Canada with data on general government expenditure, thus covering all government sectors, including social security. For the most part, we find long-run relationships among the variables and with the expected signs.Public Economics, Public Choice, Government spending, Interest groups

A Comparative Study of Textbooks In General Agriculture Used In Senior High Schools

The specific problem of the thesis is, A Comparative Study of Certain Textbooks in General Agriculture Used in Senior High Schools.” It is limited in that it doe s not cover all textbooks in the field of general agriculture , but only those which made a certain score or rating through the use of a device formulated for this purpose, nor was it the problem to discover which is the best textbook in agriculture but rather to make a comparative analysis of the textbooks selected. The books selected were compare d critically with each other in an effort to determine which is the best textbook for high school use

Policy Initiatives and Agricultural Performance in Post-independent Ghana

The central role agriculture plays in the development of Ghana’s economy has been recognized by several authors, particularly because Ghana’s economy is basically agrarian. Nevertheless, the contributions agriculture can make to economic development depend on the policy environment within which agriculture thrives. Several policies, both general and specific to agriculture, which have been pursued under various governments have either promoted or mitigated against the performance of agriculture in Ghana. This paper reviews the various policies under which Ghana's agricultural sector has operated since independence, and provides a synthesis of the major existing policies and recent changes and how these have affected the agricultural sector. The analysis shows that the socialist model of the 1960s contrasted sharply with the liberalized market approach of the 1980s and 1990s, particularly under structural adjustment. These differing policy orientations have had significant effects on agricultural performance in Ghana, and the roles of agriculture at different periods. For instance, the policy effects of agricultural activities on the environment, such as the promotion of export commodities, the exploitation of timber and forest resources, mining, and indiscriminate sale and use of agro-chemicals in Ghana have been negative. On the other hand, promotion of cash and export crops through government policy incentives have improved rural incomes for farmers that cultivate such crops, and helped to reduce poverty among this group. In general, the policy effects on agriculture in Ghana have been mixed

Deficiencies in the law of diminishing returns. Part I

In the paper there was presented an issue of the law of diminishing returns in agriculture. It was shown, that despite its general character, it is impossible to satisfactorily explain issues of input´s transformation into output in a farming process in agricultur

Sir John McKenzie and the origins and growth of the Department of Agriculture, 1891-1900 : thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in History at Massey University

Although two theses have examined John McKenzie's activities as Minister of Lands in a fairly detailed way, they have virtually ignored his actions as Minister of Agriculture. This one-sided concentration has meant that we know very little about McKenzie's achievements as Minister of Agriculture, even though they were of equal importance in the short term and have proven to be more important in the long term. Agricultural legislation passed by John McKenzie was as creative as his land laws and made up of many more statutes. This proliferation of laws relating to agricultural matters was largerly explained by the fact that major problems were covered by separate statutes, whereas McKenzie and acts and W.P. Reeves' labour laws were concentrated in one or two massive acts, which were extraordinarily comprehensive. Nevertheless, the agricultural laws passed by John McKenzie were on a similar scale to his land acts and to the labour legislation of Reeves, in terms of legislative output, legislative energy and powers created for the government. Furthermore, the administration of the Department of Agriculture affected nearly as many people as did the running of the Department of Lands and Survey. Today, much of the agricultural legislation introduced and passed by John McKenzie still has a direct effect on our lives, both in the city and on the farm. Town milk supply continues to be examined by employees of the Department of Agriculture; cowsheds are still regularly inspected by government officials; sheep are dipped within certain time limits, as they were in the 1890's; and slaughtering has been carried out in licensed abbatoirs under the supervision of government inspectors ever since 1900. On the other hand, lease in perpetuity is now obsolete and only of interest in school text books and learned journals. Obviously, than, a study of John McKenzie's actions as Minister Of Agriculture is long overdue. The urgent need for such an investigation and the stringent word limits placed upon the exercise, has meant that the thesis is almost exclusively concerned with John McKenzie as Minister of Agriculture. It only looks at his work as Minister of Lands in a general way an an attempt to explain the formulation of his agricultural policies and the development of his distinctive ministerial style. The thesis concentrates on the period 1891-1900 when John McKonzic held ministerial office, but research was begun from around 1878 when the first Sheep Act to be passed by the central government was introduced. This work on earlier developments has proven to be valuable, for it has clearly shown that John McKenzie was not an innovator but rather a consolidator. The thesis also moves into some tentative speculation after 1900, in an attempt to assess the political implications of John Mckenzie's agricultural policies. [From Preface

World Plant Collection Placed under Intergovernmental Auspices

News release announcing that the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) signed agreements to place the international plant genetic resourcescollections housed in 12 CGIAR Centers under the auspices of the Rome-base United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The move gives legal weight to the CGIAR’ s commitment to hold the collections in trust for the international community. The agreements were signed by CGIAR Chairman Ismail Serageldin on behalf of the international research Centers of the CGIAR, and by Mohamed S. Zehni, Director of the FAO Research and Technology Development Division, on behaIf of FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf

Dynamics of agricultural human resources potential in the Russian Federation

Figures on employment in agricultural organizations show that the number of labor resources occupying the positions of top managers and specialists has decreased by more than two times. First of all, the human resource potential of the agricultural sector is filled by involving the students engaged in agrarian specialties. Analysis of the number of students at universities in the areas of "Agriculture and Agricultural Sciences" for the period from 2016 to 2020 shows that the EGD(S) (enlarged group of directions and specialties) 35.00.00 Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery growth rate was 7.7%, for EGD(S) 36.00.00 Veterinary and Zootechnics growth rate was 4.3%, and in general, for the entire branch of science it was 6.1%. The growth rate of students is significantly influenced by the results of the regional policy in the field of agriculture The fixed effects model shows that the growth rate of the number of students is not affected by the growth rate of gross agricultural value added in the region. The key factor is the number of enterprises operating in agricultural production, while the importance of this factor in the current period is more significant than in the previous one. The growth rate of the number of students is higher, when the growth rate of agricultural enterprises in the region lowers

A Study Of Operational Procedures And Influences Of Vocational Agriculture On Camp County Over A Ten Year Period

For those who are interested in helping farmers in Camp County, this investigation aims to provide some understanding of the basic problems confronting all who make their living, in whole or in part, from the land. For those who are already established on the farms, this investigation seeks to provide factual information for guidance, reference, and review. The investigator\u27s interest in this. problem grew out of his work as a teacher of Vocational Agriculture in Camp County for twelve years. Here he made general observations, surveys, and interviews with farmers, professionals,s and businessmen at the beginning of his teaching career and thereafter. A comparison of these data by the investigator would point out some of the influences of Vocational Agriculture in Camp County. For the convenience of the reader, the subject matter, Study of Operational Procedures and Influences of Vocational Agriculture on Camp County Over A Ten-Year Period, is presented in four main chapters, as follows: Chapter One, Introduction; Chapter Two, Presentation and Analyses of Data; Chapter Three, Summary and Conclusion; and Chapter Four, A Suggested Vocational Agriculture Program For Camp County. Literature cited and Appendix are included at the end

Second Vertebrate Pest Control Conference: Contents, Schedule, and Participants

PROCEEDINGS SECOND VERTEBRATE PEST CONTROL CONFERENCE Charter House Hotel Anaheim, California March 4 and 5, 1964 SPONSOR:California Vertebrate Pest Control Technical Committee GENERAL CHAIRMAN OF CONFERENCE: James W. Koehler, Chief, Weed and Vertebrate Pest Control, California Department of Agriculture, Sacramento, California PROGRAM AND PUBLICITY: Maynard W. Cummings, Chairman Extension Wildlife Management Specialist, University of California, Davis James W. Koehler, Chief, Weed and Vertebrate Pest Control, California Department of Agriculture, Sacramento, California Walter E. Howard, Associate Vertebrate Ecologist, Department of Animal Physiology, University of California, Davis, California Keith F. Murray, Senior Vector Control Specialist, Bureau of Vector Control, California Department of Public Health, Berkeley, California Richard H. Dana, Vertebrate Pest Control Specialist, California Department of Agriculture, Sacramento, California Charles C. Siebe, Vertebrate Pest Control Specialist, Weed and Vertebrate Pest Control, California Department of Agriculture, Sacramento, California Adolph Zajanc, Wildlife Research Biologist, Section of Control Methods Research, Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S.D.I., University of California, Davis, California S. T. Ancell, Agricultural Commissioner, Tehama County, and President, California County Agricultural Commissioners Association, Red Bluff, California Malcolm N. Allison, District Agent, Branch of Predator and Rodent Control, Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S.D.I., Sacramento, Californi