l6 GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND - CO-OPERATION AND ASSOCIATION 



5) They may acquire land and let it to their members in small hold- 

 ings and allotments. 



6) They may establish agricidtural credit societies. 

 Co-operative societies having these objects become affiliated to the 



Agricultural Organization Society on applying for membership and on 

 paying a small subscription. They continue to be entirely self-supporting 

 and self-governed but affiliation brings them many benefits. It enables 

 them to receive copies of model rules at their time of formation, to be ad- 

 vised in matters of policy, to be helped with their book-keeping, and to 

 be assisted in their negotiations with government departments, railway 

 companies and others. The affiliated societies may avail themselves with- 

 out payment of the services of the experts on the staff of the Agricul- 

 tural Organization Society, whose special knowledge covers such subjects 

 as dairy farming, eggs and poultry, wool, small holdings and allotments, 

 accounts and the rules of co-operative societies. Finally all of them pro- 

 fit by the fact that the parent society co-ordinates them. 



The parent society itself does no trade and makes no profit. For 

 many years it was supported entirely by voluntary contributions, but it 

 now also receives grants from the Development Fund in aid of its work 

 for the general development of agricultural co-operation, and from the 

 Board of Agriculture and Fisheries in aid of its promotion of co-operation 

 in connection with small holdings and allotments. 



As regards its organization the society has offices in Westminster and * 

 employs a general secretary. Its affairs are managed by thirty-two go- 

 vernors who include three nominees of the Board of Agriculture; and two 

 each of the County Councils' Association and the Co-operative Union. 

 Seventeen further governors are elected by the affiliated societies 

 and of this number one fourth retire each year in alphabetical rotation. 

 The society divides its local work among eight branches which cover all 

 England and Wales, having their respective offices at York, Preston, 

 Derby, Tonbridge, Salisbury, Plymouth, Bangor and Brecon. 



§ 2. General Review of the Work in 1915-1916. 



The war has created opportunities for the Agricultural Organization 

 Society : first because the need for national economy and the interruption' 

 of overseas trade have at last caused British agriculture to be recognized 

 as a basic and essential industry ; and secondly because the scarcity of la- 

 bour, the difficulties of transport and the novel conditions of the market 

 have brought the farmer face to face with problems which have shaken 

 his conservatism and made him turn to co-operation as a possible solution. 

 It was therefore possible to extend the society's enterprise in several di- 

 rections in 1915-1916. 



a) New Branches. 



Two of its eight branches were formed between i April 1915 and 31 

 March 1916. They are the North Midlands Branch, which covers the 



