SELF-HELP 319 



of the seeds purchased through the society rose from 

 36 in 1869 to over 1,000 in 1904; and that of 

 agricultural machines and implements (exclusive of 

 ploughs) from 45 in 1869 to 2,390 in 1904. 



Agricultural co - operative societies, as told by 

 M. Avramovitch in a report on ' La Co-operation 

 Rurale,' were founded in Servia in 1894. Five years 

 later there were already 100 in existence. To-day 

 there are over 500, with about 250 local branches in 

 addition. 



First in importance are those co-operative credit 

 societies which made the Servian peasant independent 

 of the money-lenders, or tradesmen acting as such, who 

 had previously preyed upon him so mercilessly. Based 

 mainly on Raiffeisen principles, the societies have, 

 generally speaking, no more capital than reserve funds, 

 though most of them conduct savings banks where 

 even the pence of school-children are received. The 

 members of each society, however, make themselves 

 jointly and severally responsible for all liabilities 

 incurred, and on this guarantee loans are obtained 

 from the Caisse Centrale of Agricultural Co-operative 

 Societies, which was founded in 1899, anc ^ receives a 

 certain amount of financial support from the State. 

 Each local agricultural credit society operates in a par- 

 ticular village or locality, and only peasants who lead 

 an exemplary life are eligible for membership. The 

 purpose for which a loan is desired must be specified 

 and approved in advance, and care is taken to see that 

 the money is duly expended on that purpose and none 

 other. The officers are unpaid, with the possible 

 exception of the secretary, who may get a small allow- 

 ance, and the cost of operation is small ; while a great 

 advantage is conferred on the peasant, who secures, at 

 a low rate of interest, a loan which may be most helpful 



