RURAL ECONOMICS. 591 



Each of the monographs is preceded by demographic and economic statistics 

 which serve as a general introduction to the study of each country. 



A cooperative dairy association, W. M. Regan {Col. Fanner [Univ. Mis- 

 eouri], 9 (1912), A'o. 5, p. 17). — This article presents a concrete illustration in 

 the Ozark Dairy Association near Springlield, Mo., of the possibilities of co- 

 operation among farmers. When the association was started 5 years ago, 

 the farmers were getting for their butter fat 6 cts. below the Elgin price, while 

 hist year the association sold for its 700 members $-320,000 worth of butter fat 

 at an average of only 2 cts. below the Elgin price, and obtained 8 cts. per pound 

 more last winter than nonmembers were receiving. This meant an increased 

 profit of $103 per member. 



Selling' for more and buying for less, J. Axvin (Country Gent., 77 (1912), 

 No. 27, pp. If, 5, 20, figs. 2). — This article describes in detail the organization 

 and work of the Monmouth County Farmers' Exchange of New Jersey, which 

 began operations in 1908 with a capital of $7,000 and 350 members, by both buy- 

 ing and selling for its members. " In 1911 it did a business of $1,499,500.99, 

 saved its members over $125,000, and made net profits of $17,496.51." The 

 capital stock for 1912 is reported at $75,000, a surplus of $25,000, and the mem- 

 bership at 1,100. The cost of administration is said to be li per cent of the 

 total business. 



It is suggested that in such cooperative enterprises it is highly important that 

 (1) farmers have sufficient products to permit of business on a considerable 

 scale, (2) there should be some leading crop as the mainstay of the undertaking, 

 and (3) the administration should be in the hands of men familiar with mar- 

 kets and marketing conditions. Much of the success of this enterprise is 

 attributed to the charter requirement that all stockholders must ship through the 

 exchange unless they receive at least 5 per cent more from outside competitors. 



Relation between the farmer and the railroad, H. Elliott (Fargo, N. Dak., 

 1912, pp. 19). — An address at the Tri-State Grain and Stock Growers Asso- 

 ciation, Fargo, N. Dak., January 17, 1912, in which the speaker discusses the 

 history and growth of agriculture, and emphasizes the importance of making 

 farming more than ever a business, increasing production to meet the increasing 

 population, and establishing a sentiment and demand for more scientific methods 

 of farming. He points out the economic significance of the interrelation of 

 farming and railroading and illustrates their interdependence. 



Government aid to small farmers, R. Fleming (Daily Cons, and Trade R<pts. 

 [V. 8.^, 15 (1912), No. 137, pp. 10 U, 10//5).— This report notes that the small 

 landholders act of the Scottish Parliament, which became operative April 1 last, 

 constituted a board of agriculture and a Scottish land court, each with distinct 

 powers to facilitate the establishment of new agricultural holdings, and since 

 April 1, more than 3.000 applications for registration as small landholders have 

 been received. In case the landholders do not meet the demand by leasing small 

 tracts to applicants on satisfactory terms, the board is authorized, upon payment 

 of compensation for surface damage, etc., to provide by compulsory proceedings 

 suitable land in each district sufficient to meet the demand of applicants. The 

 board also has an annual grant not exceeding £200.000 to provide assistance 

 to landholders, by way of a loan or gift as circumstances may warrant, for 

 dividing, fencing, and draining lands, and erecting dwelling houses or other 

 farm buildings. 



The small holdings movement (Economist, 75 (1912), No. 3594, PP- 59, 

 60). — The progress of the small holdings movement in Great Britain since the 

 passage of the 1908 act, is deemed fairly creditable, despite numerous com- 

 plaints and criticisms. 



Up to the end of 1911, 124,502 acres had been acquired for small holdings 

 by county councils in England and Wales, of which 78,871 acres had been 



