INFORMATION REI.ATIXC; TO CO-OPKRATIOX AND ASSOCIATION' 21 



27,156,957.37 liras as against 19,240,443.16 liras in the preceding year. We 

 should notice that 89,000 quintals (i) of sulphate of copper and about 20,000 

 quintals of Caflfaro paste were provided. Equally important were the im- 

 portation, for the provisioning of the co-operative factories of superjihos- 

 phates in Piacenza, Cremona, Novara, Secugnago (Lodi), Bagnolo Mella 

 (Brescia) and Cerea (Verona), of 43,295 tons of phosforites and 200,000 

 quintals of British coal, and the importations for the threshing of grain, 

 the com])ression of forage and ploughing. Agricultural macliinery accounts 

 for 2,913,725 liras of the sum arising from sales, that is for 100,000 liras more 

 than in 1915. 



We pass over in silence much initiative on the part of the federation 

 for the improvement of agriculture in the country ; but note that on 31 

 December 1916 the federation's capital was 198,075 liras.— made up of 

 7,923 shares of 25 liras each, subscribed by 1,336 members, and of a reserve 

 of 187,990 liras. 



6 AN OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND AID FOR THE AGRICUIyTURAI, CO-OPERATIVE 

 SOCIETIES AT BOIyOGNA. — La Cooperazione ItaUana, No. 1247, Milau, 8 June lyi;. 



In response to the votes of the Congess of Italian Co-operative Socie- 

 ties on 17-18 December 1916 the Istituto Nazionale di Credito per la Coopera- 

 zione Q.t Rome founded and inaugurated at Bologna, on the 3rd of last June, 

 an office for the inspection and aid of agricultural co-operati\'e societies. 

 This office proposes to support all forms of agricultural co-operation and 

 in particular collective farms. " Assistance will take the form of visits to the 

 farms and businesses and ad nee as to technical management and the most 

 advantageous reforms. A study of the common action and initiative proper 

 to the various co-operative societies vAW also be made, a system of exchang- 

 ing visits being elaborated ; recij^rocal knowledge will be encouraged ; 

 the influence of the best examples disseminated ; knowledge and appre- 

 ciation of the agricultural co-operation of the smallest farmers will be cm- 

 tivated ; by-laws, rules, monographs, etc., will be collected and distributed ; 

 and a periodical will be founded in the^interests of the agricultural societies 

 to convey to the right quarter the resolutions and desires and a knowledge of 

 the most urgent needs of the national agricultural co-operative movement ". 



7. THE FORMATION OF THE "FEDERAZIONENAZIONAI,EDEIvI<E UNIONI AGRI- 

 COIyE ". — Azlone Sociale, No. 9, Faenza, i to 15 May, 1917. 



On the 25th of last April there was formed at Milan this National Fe- 

 <leration of Agricultural Unions, otherwise of the Catholic organizations for 

 the purchase 01 articles useful to agriculture. It has the form of a limited lia- 

 bility stock company and a capital of 500,000 liras, and aims at promoting 

 and ])rotecting the economic and moral interests of institutions existing 



(1)1 (luiiital =^ 220 lbs. 



