14 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



material. For this a certain amount of credit is needed. It was for 

 this reason that the local society organized a section for the purchase 

 of fertilizing materials and feediug stuffs. It is also the intention to 

 institute in each community a mutual credit and savings hank on the 

 Eaiffeisen system. There is already a bank of this kind at Borsbeke. 

 The section for the purchase of goods has its own rules and regula- 

 tions. The members are furnished with blanks to be filled out to show 

 the kind of fertilizer or feeding stuffs which they wish to purchase. 

 The officers of this section purchase at wholesale prices goods of guar- 

 antied composition. When the goods are leceived the members are 

 at once notified and pay cash on delivery. There are few expenses for 

 administration and little risk, and the farmers are thus enabled to 

 secure their goods at wholesale prices plus 1 or 2 per cent necessary 

 to pay the expense of printing the circulars, etc., and the cost of the 

 analysis. The members purchased through this agency from 1890 to 

 1890 0:>7,r>o0 kg. (703 tons) of fertilizers, the annual purchase increasing 

 from 64,000 kg. (75 tons) in 1890 to 103,500 kg. (190 tons) in 1890. 

 From 189.) to 1896 the amount of feeding stuffs purchased was 121 tons, 

 increasing from 11,000 kg. (17 tons) in 1893 to 18,800 kg. (51 tons) in 

 189(5. It can be said that this section lias already effected a net saving 

 to the fanners of 22,527 franc- $4,500). 



Insurance. — The Society of Herzele has taken steps toward the for- 

 mation of a mutual lire insurance association. Different insurance 

 companies were conferred with, and the company which has been 

 selected has agreed to a reduction of 40 per cent on the usual pre- 

 miums. The society has also organized a mutual cattle insurance com- 

 pany in seven of the fourteen villages in the province. The total 

 number of cattle insured is 645. Each member of the insurance com- 

 pany pays a small premium on each cow insured. The members agree 

 to buy a part of the carcass in case an insured cow should be killed. 

 These companies indemnify for loss only in cases where the State is not 

 liable. The Government encourages the formation of these mutual 

 insurance societies by giving subsidies to the founders. The province 

 of East Flanders aids them by a bank of reinsurance. 



To further decrease Losses the local society has a veterinary phar- 

 macy so conducted that the farmers can readily obtain medicines. If it 

 were not for this provision, animals might often die before a veterinary 

 surgeon could be obtained. 



Dissemination of information. — The Society of Herzele makes every 

 effort to secure a wide dissemination of agricultural information. As 

 has been stated, the society holds monthly meetings. Sometimes dis- 

 cussions are held on the same day in all the villages. This is especially 

 the case at the season when fertilizers are applied. The farmers of the 

 region and the members of the corps of instruction take part in these 

 meetings. The attendance of farmers is encouraged by the distribu- 

 tion of agricultural books by lot. For the adult farmers the Govern- 



