VARIED PHASES OF THE MOVEMENT 91 



associations or by individuals, has been facilitated 

 by the establishment of rural credit banks of the 

 Raiffeisen type. Of these there were in Belgium 

 in 1894 only four, all newly established. On 

 December 31st, 1901, there were 286, connected 

 with six central banks, created by the different 

 federations. The 286 societies represent a mem- 

 bership of 13,000. 



Of " mutual " societies for the insurance of 

 cattle there were 729 in 1901, with 67,000 

 members, the number of cattle insured being 

 198,000. How this movement is spreading may 

 be illustrated by the case of Luxembourg. In 

 that province there were no cattle - insurance 

 societies at all in 1900, whereas by the end of the 

 following year there were thirty-three. Then 

 during 1901 there were established in Belgium 

 thirty-seven societies for the insurance of horses, 

 and seven for the insurance of goats. The 

 operations of all these live - stock insurance 

 societies are safe-guarded by federations for re- 

 insurance. 



To such an extent has the principle of " group- 

 ing" fire insurance policies -with the view of 

 getting a reduction in the premiums — been 

 carried, that by the end of 1901 the Boeren- 

 bond federation of agricultural associations had 

 " grouped " over 8,000, and other central bodies 



