THE KEY TO GERMANY'S SUCCESS 51 



4,000. Of co-operative credit banks in general 

 there are 4,455 in Prussia, and 3,899 in other 

 German States — a total of 8,354, representing 

 a membership of close on 1,500,000. Some 

 States will have co-operative credit banks in 

 over 33 per cent, of their parishes, and 50 per 

 cent, of the fanners in those parishes will be 

 members. As for the good that has been done 

 by such institutions, Mr. F. P. Konig says, in a 

 report on 4k Agriculture in Germany," issued by 

 the Foreign Office : " It has always been a puzzle 

 to me why English farmers do not club together 

 and form similar co-operative banks for the bene- 

 fit of all concerned. Co-operation has proved to 

 be the key to success in Germany, and has saved 

 many thousands of farmers from ruin." 



But there are many other directions in which 

 the combination principle has been applied to 

 agriculture in Germany, besides the setting up 

 of credit banks. Of special agricultural societies 

 for the purchase of artificial manures, feeding- 

 stuffs, machinery, tools, coals, etc. (in addition 

 to what the banks may do in this direction), 

 there are 420 in Prussia and 578 in other 

 German States — a total of over 1,000. Of 

 production and selling societies (representing, 

 among other branches, societies for the sale of 

 seed, fruit, vegetables, and produce of all kinds ; 



