A VIGOROUS MOVEMENT 193 



State in June, 1903), agricultural credit banks 

 are now in course of formation in all parts of 

 Finland, the total number at the beginning of 

 December, 1903, being fifty-one. 



With the improved financial resources thus 

 opened up to the agricultural community, a great 

 impetus has been given to the formation of the 

 agricultural co-operative organizations sanctioned 

 by the law of September, 1901. Already there 

 are 175 registered societies of this type (among 

 them being seventy-two for the working of 

 co-operative dairies) besides a number of non- 

 registered bodies. The total of registered and 

 non-registered is estimated at 300. As indicat- 

 ing the amount of actual business done by the 

 various kinds of organizations, it may be added 

 that the sum total of the " grouped orders " for 

 1902 was £100,000, those of the Central Co- 

 operative Bureau alone amounting to £(>0,000. 

 Such figures speak well for the vigour of a 

 movement still in its infancy in a land of only 

 2,700,000 inhabitants. 



The degree of interest that is being aroused 

 in the whole subject is further indicated by 

 the fact that a three days' conference on agricul- 

 tural organization, held in the University of 

 Helsingfors in April, 1902, was attended by 800 

 delegates — teachers in agricultural schools, agri- 

 o 



