x INTRODUCTION 



knowledge on a subject of world-wide and steadily 

 increasing interest. 



I have now only to add that further develop- 

 ments, brought about as these pages are passing 

 through the Press, modify one or two of the 

 statements made in the body of the work. It is, 

 for instance, no longer the fact that, as I say on 

 page 307, England has only local co-operative 

 agricultural societies, whereas AVales has a 

 "Welsh Farmers' Federation." This assertion 

 was true enough when I wrote it, and when the 

 printers printed it ; but a conference of repre- 

 sentatives of agricultural co-operative societies in 

 Worcestershire and neighbouring counties has 

 since formed a " Midland Agricultural Co-oper- 

 ative Federation " for the purposes alike of 

 combined purchase and combined sale. Arrange- 

 ments, I hear, are also being made to federate 

 the Yorkshire societies. Then on page 380 I 

 have suggested that " it may be found desirable 

 to amalgamate the Agricultural Organization 

 Society and the Co-operative Banks Association, 

 so as to give greater force to the efforts that 

 each is making." The bodies concerned have 

 not waited for this recommendation to appear 



