20 GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND - CO-OPERATION AND ASSOCIATION 



The excess of expenditure over income was therefore £ 8,289 ^^s Sd 

 in 1914-1915 and £ 9,792 los Sd in 1915-1916. These deficits were covered 

 by government grants, as is seen in the published balance-sheets, here 

 reproduced. 



It is clear therefore that the Agricultural Organization Society is 

 mainly supported by government subsidies. 



§ 3. The Affiliated Societies. 



a) The Suciefies in General. 



The affiliated societies experienced in 1915-1916 a very general in- 

 crease both in their membership and in the amount of their business, and 

 this in spite of the impediment? to agriculture which are due tj the war — 

 the scarcity- of labour, the difficulties of transport. The disturbance of 

 the market has on the whole favoured the farmer ; he has had to pay more 

 for certain of his requirements but the price of his produce has risen to a 

 more than compensatory extent, and the creation of the armj'^ has provided 

 a new and profitable demand for his supplies. The rise in prices has 

 naturally increased the turnover of the societies, a fact which should be 

 borne in mind in drawing conclusions from their balance-sheets. 



The total membership of the 550 aflBliated societies in the year under 

 review was 55,831 and their total turnover was £3,428,960. Of this sum 

 more than two thirds, namely £ 2,450,397, belonged to the societies for 

 the purchase of agricultural requirements, most of whom sell farm produce 

 as a secondary business. These societies numbered 213 and their combined 

 membership was 26,241. The following table shows the comparative 

 importance of the different groups of societies : 



