588 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD, 



The associations, whieli are known as " affittanze collettive," or cooperative 

 farms, arose as a remedy for the want of steady employment among farm 

 laborers, ^n association comi)osed of day laborers rents land and operates it 

 either as a single farm under a manager or as individual allotments. Of 108 

 associations 25 belong to the former class and 83 to the latter, wliicli is regarded 

 as the more promising form of association. Statistics are presented of the mem- 

 bership in the most flourishing societies, together with the number of hectares 

 cultivated and the value of products raised. As regards the furnishing of em- 

 ployment and the returns from the labor expended, the results thus far prove 

 that the associations are highly successful, but where associations have a 

 larger membership than number of lots, a system of permitting members to 

 cultivate a lot for a short period of time is practiced, and this the author re- 

 gards as a grave economic defect. As a means of overcoming this ditiiculty it is 

 suggested that such associations rent more laud or cut down the size of the lots 

 in order to grant an allotment to each member. A bibliography is hicluded. 



Agricultural cooperatibri in northern Europe (Agt: Mod., 13 {1907), No. 32, 

 PI). J/J/i), JfoO). — This is a discussion of the development of agricultural coopera- 

 tion in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland, the data being derived from 

 reports made at a convention of farmers held at Christiania July 3-7, 1907. 



The different cooperative societies of Sweden belong to a national federation 

 which in 1905 included G09 organizations with 23,000 members and which sold 

 products valued at $3,400,000. 



Finland had in June, 1900, cooperative societies numbering I.OIG with 90,000 

 members and doing an aminal business of $9,000,000. Of these societies, the 

 most promising were the cooperative dairies, which numbered 266 with 22,000 

 members and- a business amounting to $2,500,000, and the rural mutual credit 

 banks, vi'hich numbered 117. The loans advanced to members in 1906 amounted 

 to $150,000. 



In Norwa.v the societies are largely concerned in animal production, though 

 cooperative dairies number about 850. 



The finance of farming, P. J. Hannon (Agr. Jour. Cape (lond Hope, SI 

 (1!)07), No. 2, pp. nS-185). — This is a paper by the superintendent of agricul- 

 tural cooperation read before the Institute of Rankers, Caite Town. July 18, 

 1907. 



The author sets forth the need of capital in agriculture for the purchase of 

 seed, stock, implements, etc., the opportunities afforded in Cape Colony for the 

 extension and improvement of the agricultural industry, and the existing means 

 of securing finances for these purposes. While recognizing the advantages of 

 state aid under certain circumstances, the author is of the opinion that the 

 self-help principle by means of cooperative and mutual credit associations is of 

 greater significance in promoting the welfare of farmers, leaseholders, and 

 laborers. It is believed that the colonial banks could assist in this movement 

 by granting loans through cooperative associations at a lower rate of interest 

 than is customary to individual farmers, and that the banks would be justified 

 in doing this because of the greater security thereby afforded. 



State aid to mutual credit associations composed of poor laborers, whose 

 only security is personal credit, is advocated. 



California: Resources and possibilities, N. P. Ciiipman et al. (Ami. Rpt. 

 CoL B(J. I'nide. 11 (liKIC). pp. (>!). figs. IJ/, map 1). — This report describes the 

 fruit, farm, and other industries of California, gives statistics on the wealth 

 production for the years 1905 and 1906 in comparison with similar data for 

 preceding years, and includes a series of articles dealing with the possible de- 

 velopment, educational progress and facilities, forests, climate, irrigation, and 



