f)2.J JI'ni.IX-DAXXI' iCI.T 



Union of Provincial Societies and Local Associations. The latter, now ex- 

 ceeding 1,(300 in number, receive orders, effect the distribution of the goods 

 piirchased and collect payment. The provincial societies, at present 

 numbering 22, receive orders and conclude transactions either direct 

 with manufactvirers and traders, or, in most cases, through the agency of the 

 National Union, whose turnover in 1915 amounted to 24.5 million kroner, 



The fundamental principle of this co-operation is the supply of goods 

 at the market price of the day and the distribution of the profits among the 

 participants rateably to the purchases of each. Associations or unions 

 were afterwards formed to provide for almost all the needs of farmers in 

 almost all branches of their work. These associations placed all the tech- 

 nical facilities of modern agriculture at the disposal of all growers, parti- 

 cularly small farmers, and assisted them to market their products to advan- 

 tage, at the same time instructing them, by competent advice in all matters 

 concerning agriculture and stock rearing. It is this latter point which 

 lends importance to these associations in quite as great a degree as the eco- 

 nomic advantages which they directly provide for their members. 



The principle gaining ground more and more in these associations is 

 that each member has one vote only, while participation in the profits and 

 expenditure is in proportion to the shares held by each member or the area 

 of his cultivated land, the number of his cows or the amount of his purchases 

 or deliveries. 



The present status of agricultural associations is shown by Table I 

 containing statistics in reference to the different classes of economic soci- 

 eties in connection with Swedish agriculture. 



Table I. — Swedish Farmers' Economic Societies. 



Mortgage Credit Societies 10 



Fiirchasers' Socle- its: 



National Union i 



Provincial Societies 22 



lyOcal Associaticns i 100 



Societies for the production of peat littti 30 



Stock rearing Societies : 



Stud Societies (Horses) 160 



(Bulls) I 600 



" " (Pigs) 600 



Inspection Societies (for cowsheds, piggeries, etc.) . . 750 



Poultry- keeping Societies and Egg Sales I'nions ... — 



Cooperative Dairy Societies 700 



Societies for expcjrtation of Butter ' z 



Co-operative Butchers — 



Societies for the Sale of Seeds — 



Societies for the Sale of M-arket- garden produce. ... 4 



Societies of Fruit-growers 420 



Fisheries Societies — 



