156 



U. S. Experiment Planting, KuihDUi J^illey. 



The man has been transplanting" new varieties of Eucalyptus 

 into tin cans and hoeing around the small trees that still require 

 a little attention. 



Very truly yours, 



David Haughs, 

 Forest Nurseryman. 



THE COOPERATIVE CREDIT MOVEMENT. 

 (The Tropical A'^riciiltiirisf.) 



PROGRESS IN NATAL. 



The more we come to study the rural conditions of Natal the 

 more we are struck with the enterprise, the energy and the in- 

 telligence of the farmers of this province. Take, for instance, 

 the extraordianry progress of the Agricultural Cooperative Union. 

 It stands a splendid example of self-help and sturdy self-reliance 

 of a society which scorns State aid. The name of the secretary, 

 James Erskine Duff, seems to remind us of a Scottish Covenanter 

 resurrected in the twentieth century to stir the dry bones of 

 those colonists who live in this dream-like, lotus land. The Co- 

 operative Union was started three years ago. It was formed by 

 the amalgamation of the Wattle Bark Union and the IMealie 

 Union, llie membership is now over 900, and the annual turn- 

 over a quarter of a million sterling. To become a member the 

 fanner must take up £5 shares either in one amount or at the 

 rate of 10s. per annum spread over ten years. The idea is a 

 limited liability company. The president of the union is Sir 

 Thomas Hyslop, and there are three committees — for wattles, for 

 mealies, for live stock. Take the matter of commercial manures, 

 such as superphosphate, bonedust, basic slag and mealie fertilizer, 

 all of which are largely used in Natal. The secretary calls for 

 tenders, say, 4000 tons per annum. Naturally, such a (|uantity 

 can be bought at a much cheaj)er rate than a small amount by 

 a single individual. At the commencement of the season super- 

 phos])hate was sold at £4 i)er ton to the ordinary farmer, whereas 

 the Union member only ])aid £?> 7s. ^nl, ])cv Urn. riie ordinary 

 man pays 13s. to 14s. j)er bag of seed oats (150 lb) ; the I'nion 

 member can get it for 12s. Formerly the cost of arscnite of 

 soda used for dipping was £3 5s. j^er cwt. Through the efforts 

 of this society it can now be jnirchased from the merchant at 

 £\ 5.S. per cwt. The terms of the Union are cash on delivery, but 

 there is also a svstcm called the credit association. 'I'liis tucau'^ 



