592 EXPEEIMENT STATION RECORD. 



" Free loans are made («) for a period of tive years to cooperative district 

 credit banlis (law of 1899), and (ft) for a term up to 25 years to agricultural 

 cooiierative societies (law of 1906). 



" Under the law of 30th April. 1900, relative to the system of ' warrants 

 hgricoles,' agricultural coopei'ative societies may obtain loans on the security of 

 any agricultural produce in their possession, provided there he nothing against 

 this in their statutes." 



The Belgian farmers' union, F. 'S'an Molkot ( Rrr. Gen. Agron., n. scr.. '/ 

 (1900), Ao. 10, pp. Jil3-42.'t). — This article describes the deplorable condition of 

 agriculture and the peasant class in Belgium before 1890, which conditions 

 were the chief cause of the formation of the farmers' union (Boerenbond), 

 and discusses in detail its origin, development, organization, and activities. 



The union is a federation of farmers' societies originally organized for i-e- 

 ligious purposes, but which became centers for the spread of ideas relating to 

 cooperation as a means of improving agricultural conditions. Its growth since 

 1890 has been unequalled in Europe. At present it includes about 480 societies 

 with 41.000 members, and it operates under sections dealing respectively with 

 the purchase and sale of products, agricultural credit, various forms of insur- 

 ance, inspection service, and other cooperati\e features. In 1908 the section 

 for purchasing farm supplies bought 28,349,043 kg. of fertilizers and 34,120.072 

 kg. of feeding stuffs for members. Of 586 local credit banks in Belgium at the 

 close of 1908, 286 were affiliated with the central credit bank of Louvain which 

 is under the control of the union. 



While the author calls attention to the various criticisms brought against the 

 union, he maintains Lhat it has performed indisputable economic services to 

 agriculture in Belgium. It has contributed largely to the uplift of agriculture, 

 stopped the agricultural crisis, developed agricultural education, introduced 

 modern cultural methods, and improved the welfare of large numbers of rural 

 families. 



Cooperative producing' and credit societies {Off. Gouvt. Gen. Algeric. Bui. 

 Bimens., 15 {1909), No. 2^, pp. 311, 372).— The text of the regulations under 

 which cooperative societies in Algeria can secure long-time loans from the dis- 

 trict banks in accordance with the provisions of the law of February 26, 1909, 

 is reported. 



Report on the working' of cooperative credit societies in the Punjab for 

 the year ending June 30, 1909, A. Langley iRpi. Woilc. Coop. Credit Soc. 

 runjnh. 1909. pp. iO + VII). — The rural banks numbered 311 with 22,976 mem- 

 bers, and possessed a balance of assets over liabilities of 94.313 rupees (about 

 ?30,000), representing large increases over the preceding year (E. S. R., 20, 

 p. 1092). 



A short history of English agriculture, W. H. R. Curtleb {Oxford, 1909, 

 pp. VIII+Sll ) . — This volume gives an account of the whole period of English 

 agriculture, but with more particular emphasis laid on the period from the 

 beginning of the seventeenth century to 1908, inclusi^'e. 



Rural settlements in England, L. von IIennet (MUt. FacJihcrichtcrstat. K. 

 K. Ackerh. Miii. [Vienna]. 1909, Xo. 18, pp. Ikl-l.'i.'i) . — Statistics on the opera- 

 tion of the small holdings and allotments act during 190S. previously noted from 

 another source (E. S. R., 22, p. 90), are pi'esented and discussed. 



Report for the year 1908 on the Russian budget. Expenditure necessi- 

 tated by agricultural distress, H. O'Betkne {Diplo. and Cons. Rpts. [London], 

 Ann. Ser., 1908, Xo. .'il63, pp. 17). — In this report on the income and expendi- 

 tures of the Russian Government for 1908 as compared with the preceding year, 

 an account is given of the increasing government aid to agriculture since 1871 

 as a result of rural conditions. 



