194 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



\vaj;os of those affocted. in the districts in wliich clianges were reported, 

 aniountoil to £727 per week as coiuijared with an increase of £370 in 1907," 

 In Scothind there was little or no change in wages at the spring and snnimer 

 hirings, bnt during the latter part of the year wages showed a downward tend- 

 ency. On the returns in Ireland 71 per cent showed no change in wages, while 

 the remainder disclosed an upward tendency in the rates of wages due to an 

 increasing scarcity of labor caused partly by emigration. 



The German agricultural labor problem according to the latest investiga- 

 tions, W. liouKBixK {Ztschr. Agrarpolitik, 7 (I'JOi)), Nos. G, pp. 311-32.'i; 9, pp. 

 .'iS5-.'i(i6). — These articles summarize the results of economic and social studies 

 published during the years 1902 to 1909, inclusive, discussing the labor, wages, 

 housing, and settlement of farm l;iborers. 



An extensive bibliography relating to the agrarian jiroblem in Germany is 

 included. 



The care of sick and injured persons employed in agriculture and forestry, 

 SciiVMACiiER {Dent. Land to. Prcsse, 36 (1909), Xos. 76', pp. 805, HOG; 77, pp. 

 81Jf, 815). — These articles set forth the provisions made by the State and mutual 

 societies in Germany for the attendance of physician, medicine, and financial 

 assistance rendered to those taken sick or injured while employed in rural 

 liursuits. whether in the field or as domestic servants. 



Experiments of the Prussian forest commission in the settlement of forest 

 workers, Rohrig (Ztschr. Foist u. Jagdiv., 41 {1909), No. 10, pp. 629-G60).~The 

 advantages of a system of forest settlements devised and carried out by the 

 state forest control in Prussia are described in this article. 



The plan consists in general in the establishment of forest employees in 

 settlements rather than in isolated homesteads, the providing of good dwellings 

 and laud for cultivation, the granting of certain firewood and other privileges, 

 etc. The advantages consist in enabling the children to attend school, in 

 avoiding the ordinary Isolation of a forester's life for self and family, the 

 opportunity afforded the forester to employ his time to the best advantage, the 

 encouragement of the young to engage in agricultural pursuits, and the check- 

 ing of rural depopulation. 



Producers' associations and cooperative selling and credit societies in 

 France to January 1, 1909 (Bui. Off. Travail [France], IG {1909), Xos. 7, pp. 

 759-771; S, pp. 858-86.',; 9, pp. 975-98-',; 10, pp. iOSO-i 085). —Complete returns 

 for the year 1908 are presented and discussed. 



The producers' associations numbered 431, the selling associations 2,491, and 

 the cooperative credit societies or banks 2,636, there being material increases 

 over the year 1907 (E. S. K., 20, p, 888), The district mutual credit banks 

 increased from 88 in 1907 to 94 in 1908. 



[Mutual agricultural credit banks in France in 1908], J, Ruau {Bui. Mens, 

 Off. Renseig. Agr. [Paris], 8 {1909), No. 9, pp. 1211-1231; Econ. Franc., 37 

 {1909), II, No. 37, pp. 390-392) .—This is a report by the minister of agriculture 

 on the work of these societies during 1908. 



The number of local banks increased from 2,108 to 2,636, the number of mem- 

 bers from 96,192 to 116,866, and the loans made to 40,129,192 francs, of which 

 29,720,297 francs were outstanding at the close of the year. The rates of 

 interest ranged from 3 to 5 per cent, the general average for the year being 

 from 3i to 4 per cent. 



Cooperative credit in Bengal {Indian Agr., 31, {1909), No. 9, pp. 266, 267). — 

 The progress of cooperative credit societies for the 9 months ended March 31, 

 1909, is reported. There were 359 rural societies, an increase of 33 during the 

 period. Of the purposes to which loans from societies were applied, repayment 



