396 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Japanese farmers and farm hands (Mo. Cons, and Trade Rpts. [U. .?.], 

 1909, No. SJfJ/, pp. 218, 219.) — Notes are given on the economic conditions of 

 farming and farm life in Japan. 



In the renting of farms the European metayer system prevails, the farmer 

 paying half the value of the crops as rent. The wages of farm labor are low, 

 but not so in comparison with the general standard of living. Taking this into 

 consideration, the Japanese farmer and farm laborer are as well off and con- 

 tented as farmers in other parts of the world. 



The holding's and products of agricultural laborers in Bavaria, A. Roitzsch 

 (lUus. Landn: Ztg., 29 (1909), Nos. J,-'i, PP. Ji29, J,30; 1,5, pp. 1,31, 7/38).— This 

 article presents and discusses statistics derived from the Bavarian census of 



1907 regarding the number, size, character, management and crop production 

 of different size small holdings, and the number and classes of agricultural 

 workers in 1907 as compared with similar data for 1895. The article discloses 

 the changes which have taken place in the landholding and landless classes of 

 rural workers and its effects on farm management and agricultural production. 



Agricultural mutual insurance against accidents, Labergerie {Bui. Sac. 

 Nat. Agr. France, 69 (1909), No. 4, PP- 378-387). — This paper briefly describes 

 the development of mutual agricultural insurance societies in France from a 

 few societies in 1898 to more than 8,780 in 1908, sets forth the legal difficulties 

 in the way of farm laborers securing compensation for injuries from their 

 employers and the high rates charged by regular insurance societies for agri- 

 cultural risks, and gives the principal regulations of a recently organized agri- 

 cultural mutual insurance society. The features of this organization deemed 

 worthy of special mention are the extreme flexibility of its rules, the ease with 

 which they can be extended to all forms of agricultural labor, the protection 

 of landowners renting under the share system, and the payment of directors 

 and agents on a percentage basis. 



Agricultural credit banks (Bd. Agr. and Fisheries [London], Leaflet 211,, 

 pp. If). — This pamphlet points out the need of credit among farmers and dis- 

 cusses the distinctive features, objects, organization, and operation of credit 

 banks. 



Agricultural warrants, Castelin (Btil. Soc. Agr. France, n. ser., 1,1 {1909), 

 June 1, Sup., pp. 720-721,). — The author outlines the kinds of agricultural 

 wealth that can be pledged as a means of securing credit in France and other 

 countries, shows how little use is made of credit by farmers in France in view 

 of the great wealth-producing power of the industry, and makes a plea for an 

 extension of agricultural credit as a means of increasing wealth production, 

 thereby making it possible to increase the price of wages while reducing the cost 

 of products to consumers. 



The national association of German agricultural cooperative societies in 



1908 {Ztschr. Landw. Kammer Braunschweig, 78 (1909), Nos. 11, pp. 127-129; 

 12, pp. 137-139). — ^At the close of 1908 the societies numbered 22,317, a gain of 

 1,008 during the year. The numbers of the different societies were as follows : 

 Credit societies 14,834 ; societies for the purchase and sale of supplies 2,152 ; 

 creameries 3,184; and miscellaneous 2.147. See also a previous note (E. S. R., 

 20, p. 990). Statistics of the business conducted by the different societies are 

 presented and discussed. 



Law authorizing loans to agricultural cooperative societies in Algeria 

 , (Bui. Statis. Leg. Compar., 33 (1909), No. 3, pp. 251-253).— The text of the law 

 of February 26, 1909, amending the law of July 8, 1901, and setting forth the 

 conditions under which the Algerian agricultural cooperative societies may 

 secure the loan of government funds for the promotion of their different lines 

 of cooperative undertakings, is reported. 



