CO-OPERATION IN RUSSIA 



25 



to have a true idea of these co-operative societies, we must remember 

 that more than 1,670 of them have organized co-operative granaries for the 

 collective sale of wheat of a total capacity of over 10,000,000 pouds It). 

 Finally, we must mention the Federations of Credit Co-operative So- 

 cieties, at present eleven in number, showing in their balance sheets not 

 more than 3,000,000 roubles ; their work is as yet hardly started. 



As regards distributive societies, there are about 7,500 in Russia. Accord- 

 ing to the figures published by the Central Co-operation Committee of 

 St. Petersbourg, those working on January ist., 1912 were divided as follows : 



Rural Societies 5,066 



Workmen's " 705 



Urban " 706 



Societies of Officers and Employees 97 



The societies have on an average 150 members each, and all the co-oper- 

 ative distributive societies together have 1,145,000 members. There are 

 no periodical statistical returns of these societies. 



The movement in favour of the federation of the distributive co-oper- 

 ative societies is as yet little marked. There are only federations at 

 Kharkow, Perm, Ekaterinburg, and Moscow. The amount of business 

 done in 191 2 by the Moscow Federation, in which, with its four branches, 800 

 societies are united, was 6,000,000 roubles, or an average of 7,500 roubles 

 per society. If all the Russian co-operative distributive societies showed 

 equal activity, their annual business would amount to 55,000,000 roubles. 

 The principal object of the rural societies is the development of improved 

 methods of cultivation, with distribution of seeds etc. Some of these 

 societies lend their members agricultural machinery, found dairies, various 

 manufactories etc. Some have objects of general character ; others have 

 special objects, such as beekeeping, horticulture, livestock improvement, 

 pisciculture etc. 



The principal object of the agricultural associations is the organization 

 of collective purchase and sale ; however, 461 occupy themselves with 

 dairy work, 77 with the use of agricultural machinery on a co-operative 

 system, 9 with wine making, 7 with beekeeping, 7 with horticulture etc. 

 On an average, each association has 200 members. 



Co-operative daities are found principally in Siberia, but also in other 

 parts of the Empire. Let us specially mention in this connection the Govern- 

 ments of Tomsk, Tobolsk, Perm, Moscow, Vologda etc. They have contrib- 

 uted to increase the amount of butter produced in Russia, which, in 1911, 



(i) I poud corresponds with 16.380 kg. 

 3 



