218 POLAND 



position on the part of the dealers, who allege 



that the societies should confine themselves to 



arranging shows and trials, and to improvement 



of the roads and breeds of cattle, and collecting 



of statistics " ; but in his subsequent report he 



was able to say : — 



1901 was a very good year for the Polish agricultural 

 societies, and proved that these institutions are extremely 

 useful to agriculturists as a means for buying articles for 

 agriculture and for selling its products on terms they could 

 not otherwise get. The turn-over of some of these 

 societies was very considerable, when it is taken into con- 

 sideration that it was the first year of their existence, that 

 their capital is very small, and that they have to compete with 

 the middleman, whose efforts, now he is losing ground, are 

 more than doubled. . . . British firms, and more especially 

 makers of agricultural machinery and implements, should 

 very seriously consider opening up business connections 

 with these societies, as their importance, in view of the 

 special facilities which have been granted to them by the 

 Government as to freights, loans, etc., is sure to increase 

 very considerably, and they will become about the most 

 important buyers of articles connected with agriculture. 



In addition to the purchase of machinery, etc., 

 agricultural organization is likewise being de- 

 veloped in Poland in the interests of the dairy 

 industry. Other societies have taken up the 

 question of improving the breed of cattle. A 

 Mutual Insurance Society against damage done 

 by hail has also been started. 



