BUBAL ECONOMICS. 1197 



merly ha<l in agricultural operations. A second cause assigned is the decrease in 

 rural population, which has resulted in a rise in wag 



Report on the operation of agricultural insurance societies, A. Dfl C&RIS 

 (Jour. Agr. Prat., n. ser., 11 (1906), No. 14, pp. i.'i. 422 ).— The official journal of 

 April 1 contains a report on the operation of mutual agricultural insurance societies. 



There has been in the last 9 years a vrery'greal increase in the number of these 

 societies. There were 1,484 such societies in 1897, and 6,556 in 1906. They insure 

 live stock against death, agricultural buildings against fire, crops against hail, and 

 farmers against accident. The total amount of risks carried is 3,920, 100 francs aboul 

 $785,000). The government supervises the organization of the new societies, paying 

 special attention thai the rates arc high enough to insure payment of indemnities. 

 It also supervises in a limited way the operation of societies and aids them in case of 

 special need resulting from epidemics. 



The government has encouraged so far a- possible the federation of the smaller 

 societies in order that they may have greater stability. 



The loans of the Credit Foncier for agricultural enterprises, A. ii < !i bis 

 (Jour. Agr. Prat., n. ser., n (1906), No. 14, p. 482). — The commission appointed by 

 the ministry of agriculture to make a study of the Credit Foncier and recommend 

 modifications to make it.- loans more popular, has recommended that loans for drain- 

 age and other agricultural improvement shall he made easier, that loan.- should he 

 extended t-> agricultural societies organized underthe laws of 1865 1888, that interest 

 sdiould be lowered, and that the system of guaranteeing reimbursement he revised. 



Meat in foreign markets, tariffs of fourteen importing nations, and coun- 

 tries of surplus i r. S. /></</. Agr., Bur. Siatis. Bui. S9, pp. 95). — This bulletin con- 

 tains a summary of information concerning the export trade in American meat, ani- 

 mal and packing-bouse products, the customs tariffs ot m of the principal countries 

 importing these animals and products, ami the conditions of production of these 

 commodities for export in 12 countries which are, or may become, competitors of 

 the United States, in this industry. 



Meat animals and packing-house products imported into eleven principal 

 countries, 1895-1904 (U. X Dept. Agr., Bur. Stalls. Bui. ?>. i<i>. 92).— The value 

 of the meat animals and packing-house products imported into i:; European coun- 

 tries and Cuba in 1904 was $506, 715,512. Of the total amount sent to 11 of the coun- 

 tries included, the United States supplied 40.38 per cent. 



Norway, Sweden, and Russia as markets for packing-house products [ . 8. 

 ]><i>t. Agr., Bur. siatis. Bui. 41, />/>. 02).— Information obtained from published 

 official reports is summarized ami classified. 



The value of meat and other packing-house products imported into Norway in 

 1902-1904 had a value of $4,585,000, an increase of l".» percent over 1895-1897. In 

 Sweden the total value of these products imported was $4,227,000 in 1901-1903, and 

 in Russia $4,337,000. \\i Sweden the increase Bince i s ' ,: > 1897 was 62.3 per cent 

 '•Russia being primarily an agricultural country with an enormous export of grain, 

 ami the Russian people consuming very small quantities of meats, the imports of 

 meat animals and packing-house products are very .-mall and do not show any strong 

 tendency to increase." 



Cotton production and statistics of cotton-seed products, 1905 | /.'"/■. of //«• 

 Casus [('. \.] Bul.40,pp. 72, maps 2) . — This bulletin gives cotton statistics of the 

 United states tor the years 1902, 1903, L904, and 1905; sketches the history of the 

 production of cotton throughout the world; discusses the possible increase of cotton 

 growing in the United States and other countries; and describes the products made 

 from cotton Beed, giving statistic-. 



The total production of cotton in the United State- in 500-lb. hale- was 10,827,168 

 in 1902, 10,045,615 in 1903, 13,679,954 in L 904, and 10,804,556 in 1906. The estimated 

 value of the cotton crop was r ,134.65 m L902, 5660,549,230.82 in L903, 



