1 5 BELGIUM - CO-OPERATION AND ASSOCIATION 



6. Horned Cattle Improvement Syndicates. — On December 31st., 191 1, 

 there were 537 horned cattle improvement societies with 21.972 members, 

 possessing 71,882 head of livestock registered in the books of the society. 

 Most of them are found in the Provinces of East Flanders (156), West Flan- 

 ders (122) and Brabant (146). 



For greater unity of action, the syndicates of East Flanders and the pro- 

 vinces of Antwerp, Limbourg, lyuxembourg, and Namur have united in pro- 

 vincial federations. 



7. Goat, Rabbit and Pig Syndicates. — At the above date, there were 501 

 goat s^mdicates with 44,259 members, possessing 52,651 goats. The}' are 

 almost all to be found in Flanders. In the same region there are also 

 43 rabbit improvement syndicates with 1,213 members. Finally, the pig 

 improvers have formed 25 syndicates, with 513 members altogether. Most 

 of them belong to East Flanders and the district of Brussels. 



8. Hop Growers' Syndicates. — At the end of 1911, there were 38 of these, 

 with 1,991 members cultivating 1,248 hectares with hops. 



These associations have largely contributed to the improvement of 

 the cultivation of hops, exerting their action by means of lectures, experi- 

 mental farm.s, market shows etc. 



9. Beetroot Growers' Syndicates. — At the above date, therevycre 152 syndic- 

 ates, the object of which was to determine the weight and sugar percentage 

 of the beetroot supphed by members to the manufactories. A certain number 

 in the province of Hainaut, also contemplate the collective purchase of 

 seeds. 



These 152 syndicates, most of them belonging to the Province of Hainaut 

 (99), had 4,910 members and the value of the beetroot tested by them in 

 1911 amounted to 6,624,685 frs. 



§ 2. .Societies for the purchase of seeds, manure, cattle foods 



AND agricultural MACHINERV. 



The statistics for 1911 give 1,260 societies of this kind, amcmgst which, 

 in addition to the syndicates properly so called formed as co-operative 

 societies in accordance with the law of May i8th., 1873 on commercial soci- 

 eties (i), there are also purchase departments in the agricultural cornices 

 and leagues with which we have already dealt. 



The 1,260 organisations reported were distributed as follows in the 

 various provinces ; IvUxembourg 258, Brabant 178, West Flanders 173, 

 Namur 166, Limbourg 149, Antwerp 108, Hainaut 107 Liege 63, East Fland- 

 ers 58. 



The number of members was altogether 77,850 and the total pur- 

 chases made in the year amounted to 20,382,831 frs : as vmder : 



(i) In regard to the legal regime of the commercial societies in Belgium, see the article 

 in the number of this Bulletin for January 1914, pp. 12 et seqq. 



