96 BELGIUM 



for some tools, turned up his cassock, and him- 

 self set to work on the engine. In a quarter 

 of an hour it was in full working order again. 

 " Such men," says M. Lecoffre, " have their 

 influence ; beyond their priestly dignity their 

 technical knowledge inspires respect and con- 

 fidence." 



The movement which has thus assumed such 

 widespread proportions and so many different 

 forms had its actual rise mostly in the starting 

 by isolated individuals of small associations for 

 the combined purchase of agricultural neces- 

 saries, the scope of action being subsequently 

 widened alike by the taking up of other objects 

 and by means of groups and federations. A 

 single illustration must suffice. 



A Flemish farmer at Goor went one day to 

 the cure of the parish, M. TAbbe Mellaerts, and 

 spoke to him about the poor quality of his 

 wheat crop. The cure had studied botany and 

 kindred subjects at his Seminary, he had es- 

 pecially followed up the subject of chemical 

 manures, and he had made experiments on his 

 own account in the garden of his house. So he 

 asked the farmer, " If I tell you of a remedy, 

 will you use it ? " " If it is not too dear," was 

 the reply. When the farmer called again the 

 abbe gave him a sack containing twenty-five 



