592 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



The agricultural population numbered 18,704,038 in 1882, 17,815,187 in 1895, 

 and 10,920.671 in 1907, and the agricultural laborers in these same years 

 6.120,554, 4,339,777, and 3,796,347, respectively. The value of agricultural 

 products in 1907 was 12,000,000,000 marks, that of the industries 10,000,- 

 000,000 marks. On this basis Germany is still regarded as an agricultural 

 country which offers opportunity for the employment of labor in agriculture in 

 times of industrial crisis. 



The reestablishment of the peasantry, von Friesenhof (Monatsh. Landic., 

 3 {1910), No. 8, pp. 2.'i3-261). — This article calls attention to the agitation for 

 the establishment of small holdings and making more pi-osperous the existence 

 of the peasant class in Germany, but points out the numerous difficulties affect- 

 ing the problem from the economic point of view. 



The economic principles and duties of cooperative credit societies, H. 

 Cruger (Rev. Econ. Intcniat., 7 (.1910), III, No. 2, pp. 209-235).— This is a de- 

 tailed review of the origin and development of the mutual credit movement 

 among the agricultural and industrial middle classes in Germany, with a dis- 

 cussion of the fundamental principles of the Schulze-Delitzsch and Raiffeisen 

 systems, the legal definition of cooperative credit societies, the number and 

 duties of such societies, their competition with savings banks and commercial 

 banks, the discounting of trade debts, and the activity of credit cooperation. 



The conclusion of the author is that after more than 50 years of experience 

 the question of a sound and practical system of credit for the middle classes 

 has found its solution in the mutual credit movement, which requires no form 

 of government aid to enable it to carry out successfully its true functions and 

 duties. 



What are the advantages to a dairy cooperative society of a saving and 

 loan bank in the same place? J. J^chultze {Molk. Ztg. [Hildesheim], 2'/ 

 (1910), No. 75, pp. 1415. ].',16). — The advantages secured to dairy farmers by 

 the establishmeut of a bank in the neighborhood of cooperative societies are 

 the interest obtained for their money when depositetl with the bank, the facili- 

 tating of financial transactions between dairy associations and customers, the 

 lessening of the danger of the misuse of the association's finances, and the main- 

 taining of a more uniform control over the price of milk. The cooperation of 

 societies with private banks it is believed would work for the advantage of both 

 as well as for the general welfare of the rural popul.ition in such localities. 



Concerning the development of the German agricultural cooperative socie- 

 ties, Grabein (Fiihiiiig's Landw. Ztg., 59 (1910), No. 17, pp. .588-59//).— This 

 article presents and discusses the statistics on the number, membership, trade 

 relations, and financial conditions of the various cooperative and mutual credit 

 societies in Germany. On .Tune 1, 1910, the number of societies affiliated with 

 the natioiial union was 23.845, as compared with 22,899 the preceding year. 



Kegulations for the execution of the law of January 2, 1910, concerning 

 agricultural credit [in Italy] (Bui. Mens. Off. Renseig. Agr. [Paris], 9 (1910), 

 No. 0, pp. 99/-i 002). —Noted from another source (E. kS. R., 23, p. 796). 



Report on agricultural mutual insurance societies in Tunis, Varrey (Bui. 

 Dir. Agr. Com. et Colon. [Tunis], U (1910), Nos. 54, pp. 7h-86; 55, pp. 172- 

 183). — This article points out the numerous advantages of mutual insurance 

 societies for farmers, as compared with regular companies, that have been 

 secured in France. The method of organizing and conducting such societies 

 is described in detail and a plea is made for their establishment in Tunis as a 

 means of improving the economic status of the peasants and farmers by giving 

 them protection against losses from fire and hail. 



