382 MISCELLANEOUS 



The one was purely commercial, the other political and 

 educational. The work done by its founder was not wasted, 

 for though the machine of which he was so proud eventually 

 broke down, he had infused a spirit into agricultural com- 

 binations which has never died out. Many organisations 

 have since sprung into existence as an indirect result of his 

 efforts. The organisation of agriculture was the cause for 

 which he eventually sacrificed his life. 



Agricultural Co-operation. 



On 3rd March, 1868, the pioneer of agricultural co-operation, 

 Mr. E. 0. Greening, suggested that this topic should form the 

 subject for discussion at the next Council meeting. He 

 found no seconder, and the matter does not appear to have 

 been raised again at any meeting until 3rd November, 1891, 

 when it was resolved that the co-operation of farmers for 

 purchase is desirable. The following December a Committee 

 was appointed to report as to the best means of utilising the 

 local Chambers for promoting the co-operative principle for 

 the benefit of members in purchasing farming requisites. 

 This Committee consisted of Mr. W. Lipscomb (Chairman), 

 Mr. Carrington Smith, Mr. Thomas Bell, Mr. Barfoot-Saunt, 

 Mr. Ramsden, Mr. Rowlandson, Mr. Willson, and Mr. H. 

 Liversedge. Mr. Greening attended two of the Committee's 

 meetings and gave them considerable assistance. Their 

 report was adopted without discussion on 28th February, 

 1893, but the recommendation of the Committee that they 

 should be re -appointed was disregarded. The inquiries 

 made among local Chambers and the issue of this report did, 

 however, arouse a certain modified interest in the subject, 

 and brought to light the fact that at least eight .local agri- 

 cultural co-operative societies were already at work in 

 different parts of the country, the Cheshire and North Wales 

 Society having been started in 1871 arid the Northumberland 

 Society in 1872. At the Agricultural Conference in December, 

 1892, a resolution was carried unanimously in favour of the 

 principle of co-operation.* 



* See page 379. 



