490 EXPERIMENT STATION EECOED. 



ditious is tabulated as to expenditures per liectare, gross yields, aud net profits, 

 and discussed in detail as to tlie relation of culture to profitableness. 



Tlie general conclusion is reached that the farm which is operated in ac- 

 cordance with the nature of the soil, conditions of climate, and market rela- 

 tions will give the highest net profits; that the whole problem of business 

 organization in agriculture consists in a proper balancing of live-stock pro- 

 duction with other forms of agricultural production ; and that the operation 

 of a farm on the soundest economic basis must take into consideration the 

 fact that animal production is the keystone to successful and profitable farming 

 in Germany at the present time. 



Congress of agricultural mutual aid societies, H. Sagnier {Jour. Agr. Prat., 

 n. ser., 20 {1910), No. 39, pp. Jfll-Jfl-'f). — This is a summarized account of the 

 proceedings of the fourth congress of mutual agricultural insurance, credit, 

 and cooperative societies held at Rouen from September 1.5 to IS, 1910. The 

 progress of agricultural mutual aid in France is indicated by the papers pre- 

 sented, and the resolutions of the organization to the government relate to 

 securing legislation more favorable to the future development of such organi- 

 zations. 



Village banks in Holland, S. Listoe (Daily Cons, and Trade Rpts. [U. S.], 

 n. ser., 1 {1910), No. 11, pp. ISS-lf/l). — This article describes the origin and 

 development of agricultural credit banks in Holland, of which ther,e were more 

 than 600 in existence in 1910, based on the Raiffeisen plan. 



Information is given on the organization and management of the local banks 

 and on their obligations when connected with the central bank at Utrecht. The 

 rate of interest allowed to depositors by the central bank is 3i per cent and the 

 charges for advances 4J per cent. It is said that the whole arrangement of 

 the Raiffeisen banks indicates an earnest effort to promote the interests of the 

 members, self-interest and profit seeking being excluded. 



Agricultural labor, W. L. Summers et al. {Jour. Dept. Agr. So. Aust., 14 

 (1910), No. 3, pp. 285-288). — This is a paper and discussion dealing with the 

 agricultural labor problem in South Australia. 



It is recognized that the modern farm laborer is a skilled worker, and as 

 means to supply the demand for competent laborers throughout the country it 

 is suggested (1) that the agricultural bureau cooperate with the labor bureau 

 for ascertaining the call for laborers in different parts and locating the workers 

 to the best advantage, aud (2) that training farms be established for city boys, 

 where they could learn the use of farm implements and be trained in the han- 

 dling and feeding of stock to make their services of value to farmers and other 

 producers. 



Students as farm laborers, E. Bippart et al. (Mitt. Deut. Landw. Gesell., 

 25 (1910), No. 39, pp. 57i-57^).— This article discusses the advisability of em- 

 ploying students as farm hands in Germany during the vacation season. 



The opinion of E. Bippart is that students from the city colleges and univer- 

 sities could be profitably employed on farms during the summer since their 

 intellectual training enables them to learn readily the different lines of farm 

 work. In support of his opinion he quotes an article by G. Dehlinger, who 

 gives his experience with 6 students during 4 vacation seasons, showing that 

 they were not only hard workers but soon relieved the employer of the care of 

 machinery and of other similar duties. The methods of training the students 

 and of regulating their wages according to the amount and character of work 

 performed are described. 



An answer by B. Langenbeck is included, the latter being inclined to favor 

 the employment of only agricultural students or those who, having had expe- 

 rience of farm life in earlier years, have become students in city colleges and 



