46 EGYPT - CO-OPERATION AND ASSOCIATION 



6th., Borrow for own account for terms of not more than five years 

 and at a rate never to exceed the legal rate ; 



7th., Invest funds temporarily uninvested. 



As we see, these societies act as real credit institutes for their 

 members, and conduct the principal operations of such institutes. But the 

 co-operative societies in M. Ribet's scheme are not exclusively credit so- 

 cieties ; they may at the same time act as co-operative societies for purchase 

 and sale. They therefore may : 



ist.. Organize the collective purchase of manures, agricultural imple- 

 ments, livestock, seeds and all raw and manufactured material required 

 in agriculture and all articles for food or domestic use, whether acting as 

 intermediaries for a group of members who desire to make purchases or 

 purchasing for the account of the association itself. 



2nd., Obtain all agricultural implements and livestock required for 

 farm work etc., with the object of leasing them to the members of the 

 association for their exclusive use ; 



3rd., Encourage and organize the sale of their members' crops; 



4th., Build and lease storehouses [chuana), hulling rooms, store 

 rooms etc., for the exclusive use of members. 



The co-operative societies may also afterwards plan, organize and 

 support institutes of economic character, such as mutual societies for 

 insurance against agricultural risks, societies for mutual aid in sickness 

 etc., as well as found agricultural workshops in connection with the fight 

 against plant diseases and especially against the cotton worm, promote 

 and encourage the use of manure, agricultural implements etc; give lec- 

 tures on agricultural subjects etc. etc. 



CONCIyUSION. 



In the short space of this article we have therefore rapidly indicated 

 the present situation of the Egyptian fellah, the various attempts made to 

 promote a co-operative movement in Egyptian agriculture, the results so 

 far attained and the proposals for the future 



If a positive judgment may be pronounced in so delicate a matter, 

 we should saj' that Egypt presents an excellent field for the development of 

 agricultural co-operation, especially when the matter is considered from the 

 point of view of the enormous advantages the Egyptian peasant might at- 

 tain from a widespread movement of association. There are, however, some 

 who object, and perhaps they are not wrong, that the fellah has not yet 

 reached that degree of social evolution necessary for the co-operative princ- 

 iple to be applied well and safely. This is also, for the moment, the opinion 

 of the Egyptian Government, which, while it is granting the fellah a good 



