RURAL ECONOMICS. 591 



Nebraska, Minnesota, North Dakota, and other western States, as well as in 

 the Canadian northwest. Wages range from $1.75 to $3.50 per day including 

 board, but even at these high rates it is impossible to secure the necessary help. 

 A comparison is made between the number of idle men in the cities and the 

 call for labor on the farm, and the economic advantages of farm labor over 

 city labor at the present time are emphasized. 



Cooperative credit, W. H. Buchan (Dcpt. Agr. Bciigdl, Quart. Jour., 2 (1909), 

 .Vo. 4, Pi). 23S-2.'t7). — An address before the fourth Indian industrial conference 

 at Madras dealing with the subject of mutual cooperative credit societies among 

 the ugi-icultural classes in India. 



On June 30, 190S, there were 1.201 rural banks as against 740 at the end 

 of the preceding year, the membership having increased from 54,500 to 

 !»3,200. The difficulties in the present system of mutual agrieultux-al cx*edit 

 are i)oiuted out, and a scheme is presented for the establishment of a central 

 organization which can provide a place of remunerative deposit for the tem- 

 porary surplus of individual banks, and for the necessary inspection and con- 

 trol of affiliated societies. 



In behalf of small agricultural cooperative societies, G. Lotrionte (Colti- 

 vatorc, 55 (1909). Xos. 29, pp. 79-82; 30, pp. 101-105; 31, lJi3-l 46) .—This is a 

 discussion of some of the features of the bill introduced into the Italian par- 

 liament on May 10, 1009, relating to small cooperative societies and mutual 

 creilit and insurance associations. A plea is made that still more liberal 

 features of a law be passed for the greater encouragement of cooperative or- 

 ganizations which promise so much for the progress of agriculture and its 

 dependent industries throughout Italy. 



The Seventh National Congress of Agricultural Associations at Nancy 

 (Bui. /S'oc. Agr. France, 1909, July 15, pp. 12-11). — This article discusses the 

 economic significance of agricultui'al associations in France and reports the 

 resolutions passed by the congress with reference to mutual live stock, fire, 

 and accident insurance, mutual credit societies, mutual benefit organizations, 

 agricultural savings banks, and small holdings. A vigorous protest is made 

 against all legislative efforts to draw distinctions between agricultural and 

 cooperative associations. 



Annual report of the Agricultural Organization Society for the year ended 

 December 31, 1908, R. A. Yerburgh and J. N. Harris (Ann. Rpt. Agr. Organ. 

 ^(jc. [Liindon], 1908, pp. 99, figft. 3, map 1). — This report gives an account of the 

 progress of agricultural cooperation in England and Wales during 190S. The 

 affiliated societies numbered 281, a net increase for the year of 118; the mem- 

 bership about 15.000. and the total value of business £770.000. These figures 

 show large gains over the preceding year (E. S. R., 20, p. 794). 



Six new agricultural credit societies were organized in 1908. but none had 

 started business up to the close of the year. An effort is made to account for 

 the slow development of cooperative credit in England and Wales. '" The ex- 

 planation is no doubt to be found in the innate conservatism, the clinging to old 

 methods and the suspicion of new, that is so marked a characteristic of the 

 Itritish farmer and laborer. Still there is the balancing advantage that the 

 foundations of cooperative cretlit, if being laid slowly, are being laid surely. 

 There is. moreover, every reason for confidence that as the number of small 

 holders increases there will be a considerable development of coo])erative credit." 



International Agricultural Institute, T. H. Elliott (London: (Sort., 1909, 

 pp. 99; rev. in Jour. Ed. Agr. [London^, 16 (1909), No. J,, pp. 27. ',-27 8). —This 

 report contains copies of the papers and correspondence between the British 

 and Italian governments relative to the establishment and work of the institute, 



