AUSTRIA - CO-OPERATION AND ASSOCIATION 



chambers, no longer dependent on the federation, but worked by the silk 

 producers' co-operative society. A calculation made by Signor Pius Meyer, 

 general secretary of the federation, shows the material advantages obtained 

 by improved silkworm breeding. According to it, j,ooo ounces of silkworm 

 eggs gave under the old unscientific system, on an average, 40 kg. of cocoons 

 each, which at the average price during the last ten years might be sold 

 at 2.2 kr., per kg., that is for a total sum of 264,000 kr. Experience shows 

 that by the scientific method, an average of 60 kgs. of cocoons may be 

 obtained per ounce. These cocoons are besides quite uniform and per- 

 fect in structure, guaranteeing a greater yield of silk. At the average 

 price of 2.8 kr, per kg., from 3,000 ounces of eggs 420,000 kr. would be 

 obtained, that is a gain of 156,000 kr., nearly twice as much as under 

 the old system. 



In 1908, the federation determined to arrange ovens for drying cocoons. 

 The want of these had long been felt by the peasants of Friuh. These ovens, 

 by means of which the larvae are killed in the cocoons, assure the preserv- 

 ation of the latter for an indefinite time, that they may be offered for 

 sale at the proper moment, whilst, for want of ovens, the peasants used 

 to have to sell their cocoons at any price offered by the manufacturers, be- 

 fore the moth appeared, and were taken advantage 01 by the middlemen. 

 First of all, a drvang room with three ovens was installed at Romans, 

 two of them on the horizontal system of the Brothers Menestrina and one 

 on the Chiesa system. The two first are equally suited and largely used 

 for desiccation of maize and wheat, by which means the federation has indi- 

 rectly contributed to the fight against pellagra, which was verj'- widely spread 

 in that region. Ttie ovens for drying cocoons have had the effect of consid- 

 erably raising the prices and ensuring the stability of the market. 



With regard to the goods business, the federation undertakes the pur- 

 chase of articles required by the adherent societies for their account. It 

 also assists them in commercial business, represents them with purchasers, 

 customers and the authorities, settles disputes, gets analyses made and 

 serves as intermediary in cases of claims to be made against the carrying 

 trade. In 1912, the federa-'-ion served as intermediary in goods business for 

 the total amount of 84,751 kr.; this business was done in superphosphates, 

 sulphuric acid, sulphur, basic slag, oilcake, wine, wheat, oil, agrictdtural 

 machinery and implements. 



From the start, the federation considered it as one of its principal 

 duties, as far as possible, to enable poor but hardworking tenants themselves 

 to become landowners in the region and assist them with its advice in their 

 business. The disadvantages mentioned above under which the FriuU 

 tenants suffer have been increased by unrestricted speculation in land, 

 which is assuming more considerable proportions and is most of all indulged 

 in by foreigners. These speculators prevent the peasants from buying the 

 land immediately from the landowners at fair prices, while they them- 

 selves realise enormous profits, by which agriculture suffers. 



Subdividers of landed estates {Gilterschldchter) artificially raise the 

 price of land to a considerable degree, ruin an incalculable number of 



