INFORMATION REl,ATING TO CO-OPERATION AND ASSOCIATION 23 



the excess is. borne and is distributed according to the conditions fixed for 

 the distribution of profits, that is to say in the order of the priority of the 

 admission of members or lauds brought under cultivation. The importance 

 of the contribution of each member of a society and the society as a whole 

 is finally determined by the departmental committee. The general meet- 

 ing decides whether it be necessary to make an inventory and a distribution 

 at the end of every year or to unite several years in one inventory. 



The general council of Haute-Garonne granted to the Departmental 

 Conunittee for the Cultivation of Abandoned I^ands an advance of 30,000 

 francs to allow of immediate cultivation. Work was at once undertaken 

 to save the vines where this was worth while and to do some spring sow- 

 ing (of potatoes, maize, buckwheat, beans, etc.). The necessary seed was 

 bought and also sulphate of copper and sulphur, and forage and oats in 

 order that the horses lent by the military administration might be fed. The 

 large influential landowners, who at first were inclined to hold back, 

 became the most devoted partisans of the organization, and contributed 

 important properties to it. 



In the spring of 1917, 135 hectares had thus been cultivated. In the 

 autumn 1,000 further hectares will be ready to be sown with wheat, oats 

 and barley. In 1918, 2,220 hectares in this one department will have been 

 brought under cultivation. During the two years the lands of mediocre 

 fertility will be cleaned and made into pasturages. 



The anticipated expenditure in the two years was of 627,425 francs ; 

 the anticipated receipts, as most carefully estimated, were 860,500 francs ; 

 and this gave an anticipated profit of 233,075 francs. The departmental 

 committee asked, in the name of the seven co-operative societies constituted, 

 for a total advance on anticipated sales and receipts of 400,000 francs, from 

 which sum each of the societies would receive from 35,000 to 100,000 francs. 



The competent authority received the application favourablv, giving 

 the societies the benefit of article 6 of the law of 7 April 191 7 which is as 

 follows : " Special advances ma} be made for a maximum term of three 

 years to the bodies contemplated by article 2 of the law (i. e. the depart- 

 ments, communes, co-operative societies and associations for mechanical 

 agriculture) from the fund for special advances to agricultural co-operative 

 societies coLtemplatecl by the bw of 29 December 1906 ". 



The example set by Haute-Garonne has aroused the liveliest interest 

 and the idea which has there been so well followed is making progress in 

 other departments. It is believed that co-operation will give important 

 help to the reconstruction of the invaded districts, notably in Aisne, Meur- 

 the-et-Moselle, Meuse and Somme. 



The application of co-operation to the reconstruction of the zones de- 

 vastated by the war has already been attempted in another form. A civil 

 co-operative society for the reconstruction of the destroj^ed villages of Glan- 

 nes, Courdemgnches, Hucro} and Chatelraould has been founded in Marne. 

 Only a few scattered houses remained in this district. Today it has been 

 cleared and reconstruction has begun. The society groups individual efforts 

 and resources with a view to restoring the buildings injured or destroyed by 



