34 ITALY - CO-OPERATION AND ASSOCIATION 



In the report in explanation of this list, we see j&rst of all the difficulty 

 presented by the classification of co-operative societies according to their 

 objects. In fact, agricultural co-operative societies often have various 

 objects and it is not easy to settle which is their predominant business, whe- 

 ther credit, purchase, production etc. It is thus not possible to establish 

 a definite and absolute distinction. Thus, to day, few agricultural co-oper- 

 ative societies do not engage in collective purchase of the articles and ma- 

 chinery necessary for their members, whilst most of them endeavour to 

 encourage their members by the grant of loans in money or in kind. 



In the classification given above, we have, therefore, considered the prin- 

 cipal work of the societies and in accordance with this the grouping has been 

 made. 



The largest group of the co-operative societies for purchase is that of 

 the agricultural consortiums, almost all affiliated to the Italian Federation 

 of Agricultural Societies with head quarters at Piacenza. Amongst the 

 societies for purchase are also included the circoli and the nuclei agrari 

 (clubs and agricultural nuclei), and other associations with the most various 

 titles occupied almost exclusively with the provision of farm requisites for 

 their members. 



According to the estimate of the above Confederation, the total amount 

 of goods and machinery bought by the various Itahan agricultural co-oper- 

 ative societies in 1913 would be nearly 150,000,000 frs. 



It was easy to group the credit co-operative societies, for their titles 

 leave no doubt as to their principal business. They include rural banks, 

 agricultural banks, small credit and other similar societies, that are intended 

 to provide their members with loans for agricultural objects. 



According to the statistical report with which we are deaUng, the 2,094 

 rural co-operative banks would have to-day a total capital (share capital 

 and reserve fund) of about 3,000,000 frs., and the total amount of deposits 

 received by them would be nearly 100,000,000 frs. The total amount of the 

 loans passed in 1913 would be about 250,000,000 frs. 



The large majority of these societies are societies of collective titles, 

 while the co-operative purchase societies are almost all constituted as limit- 

 ed liability societies. 



Amongst the co-operative societies for production, without doubt 

 dairies take the first place, but there are also thriving wine societies 

 (more than 150 in all), distilleries (more than 30) and many antiphylloxera 

 consortiums for growing American vines. 



Besides the collective farms and the co-operative superphosphate 

 factories, which are among the most interesting and most original manifest- 

 ations of Italian agricultural co-operation, we must specially note the co- 

 operative livestock improvement societies, which have provided an origin- 

 al form of society in the consortiums for stallions, all in lyombardy, above 

 all in the province of Cremona, the centre of the movement. 



In the group of the miscellaneous co-operative societies.finaUy, are included 

 the co-operative oil mills met with especially in Piedmont, in Lombardy 

 and in Friuli, the co-operative oil cake factory of Piacenza, the tobacco farm- 



