INFORMATION REIyATING TO CO-OPERATION AND ASSOCIATION 



15 



but it should be remembered that this form of co-operation (i) will spread 

 rapidly-because the first experiments have yielded good results, as 

 appears from the following figures which refer to 1916 : 



Borgo San Donnino 



Colorno 1912 



Fontanelle . . 

 Ravadese . . 

 Sissa .... 



Total 



I9I7 117,606 428.7765 75,406 281,721 



On the nth of last November two other agricultural co-operative 

 societies became active, that of Soragna which was constituted last Feb- 

 ruar}' and that of Busseto which was constituted last September. The 

 former has leased three properties, having an aggregate area of 148 hectares, 

 for 23,500 liras a year. The other has leased 62 hectares for an annual rent 

 of 15,000 liras. 



Further, the co-operative society of Borgo San Donnino has recently 

 enlarged its leasehold by a holding of 33 hectares rented at 4750 liras ; and 

 in November 1918 the co-operative society of Fontanella will undertake 

 a new important leasehold of 94 hectares, rented at 21,000 liras. Altogether 

 additions of 337 hectares, rented at 64,250 liras, will bring the total area 

 up to 765.7765 hectares and the total rent to 139,653 liras. 



The first experiment in agricultural co-operation is due to the Casa 

 del Popolo di Bors;o San Donnino (People's House of Borgo San Donnino) 

 which designed to distribute its gains among its members. It is worthy 



(i) Besides collective farms, wliich are one of the most characteristic forms of agricultural 

 co-operation, there also exist and prosper in Italy collective metayages. This is to say that 

 vast extents of land, including not only arable and grassland but also woods and vineyards, are 

 cultivated by associations or co-operative societies of labourers who are compensated for their 

 work by receiving half the produce. In the Mantuan province properties have been thus 

 cultivated for some decades ; in the province of Modena there are several flourishing examples 

 of them (Carpi, Bomporto, San Prospero, etc.) ; in the province of Ravenna there is one collec- 

 tive metayage, managed by a co-operative labourers' (casual journeymen's) society, which is 

 a model of its kind — -that of Massalombardo. Here the gross revenue per hectare is between 

 5,000 and 7,000 liras. The produce consists of fruit — peaches, pears, apples, green vegetables, 

 grapes, wheat, tobacco, forage and live stock. Two facts suffice to show the social and econo- 

 mic importance acquired by collective metayages. The small labourers'oo-operative metayage 

 of Cibeno di Carpi easily provides a sufficient livelihood for the seven families of its members 

 although previously the land supported only the family of one farmer. The society of San 

 IvOrenzo della Poppa farms on tliis system 40 hectares on which work the able-bodied mem- 

 bers of quite 32 families. See in this connection La Cooperazione Agricola, Bologna, No. 2, 

 25 September 1917. 



(2) I hectare = 2.47 hectares. 



