ORGANISATION. 195 



present time, rather an old employment abroad. I wrote 

 about it, urging to imitation, when it appeared to be still 

 quite unknown to our agricultural world, in the Contempo- 

 rary Review, in 1895. But it has lately found its way into 

 this country as well, and the war has given it a sensible, 

 though for the most part still prospective, impetus. In- 

 vaded France, with its great needs, owing to German devas- 

 tations, has forestalled us, and with a very large employment 

 given to collectively owned machinery, set us a splendid 

 example. Germany is far ahead of us in the matter. And 

 in the first edition of " People's Banks " I showed, in 1893, 

 how already in the 'eighties Raiffeisen societies had, by 

 means of their credit facilities, brought costly machinery 

 such as steam thrashing machines — the one that I saw 

 there was a Clay, Shuttleworth & Co. of a large size, 

 with the engine — without putting their hand into their 

 pocket, raising the money by loan and paying it off out 

 of the hire which it fetched, a little more being charged 

 to non-members. However, such collective ownership is 

 abroad applied to every species of implement or machinery, 

 for which a single holding does not furnish adequate employ- 

 ment, whether it be large or small. For instance, grubbing- 

 up tools are frequently owned in common. Before electric 

 power came in, co-operative steam thrashing machines 

 had for a period a good time. In France their use was 

 actively promoted by the late Count de Bouillerie. Steam 

 and electric ploughs have not covered quite as much ground 

 laterally. However, in Germany and France, wherever they 

 have been used, they have given great satisfaction. And 

 the war has given an additional fillip to their employment, 

 more particularly in France, where also tractors, for the 

 supply of which after the war our agricultural authorities, 

 administrative and co-operative, have made ample pro- 

 vision, have come into very extended application. That is 

 for the supply of power. Motors are also coming increasingly 

 into use for the forwarding of goods, where there are no 

 more convenient means handy, say, from a secluded country 

 district to the nearest railway station. For all these things, 

 alike for the steam plough and the motor wagon, somewhat 



