PREFATORY NOTE 



UNDER the terms and conditions of a grant from the 

 Development Fund, the Agricultural Organisation Society 

 is to undergo a transition from a voluntary into a State- 

 recognised and State-aided body, whose function it will 

 be to conduct along National lines a National work of great 

 magnitude, complexity and importance ; though the fact 

 should be clearly understood that the State aid here in ques- 

 tion is not in the least degree inconsistent with the develop- 

 ment of the self-help principle, inasmuch as it will be given 

 to a propagandist association which has for its mission the 

 organisation of agricultural co-operative associations estab- 

 lished for business purposes in accordance with self-help 

 principles, and not themselves entitled to receive a State 

 subsidy inasmuch as they are associations trading for a 

 profit. 



This reconstitution of the Agricultural Organisation 

 Society under the conditions indicated may be regarded as 

 a fitting occasion for passing under review the main objects 

 and leading principles of Agricultural Organisation in 

 general, the economic causes that originally led to its 

 adoption, the extent to which it has been resorted to in other 

 countries, and the developments in Great Britain that have 

 preceded the new departure now being taken under the 

 auspices of the State. 



This story it is the purpose of the pages that follow to 

 tell. The present volume is based mainly on a " Memoran- 

 dum on Agricultural Organisation " drawn up by the writer 

 and presented by the President, Mr. Yerburgh, and the 



