i;o AGRICULTURAL CAPITAL 



tural operations, either by co-operative associations 

 or by individuals, has been facilitated by the estab- 

 lishment of rural credit banks of the Raiffeisen type. 

 Of these, there were in Belgium in 1894 only four, all 

 newly established. On December 31, 1901, there were 

 286 connected with six central banks created by the 

 different federations. The 286 societies represent a 

 membership of 13,000.'* The whole population of 

 Belgium, it should be remembered, is only 7,000,000. 



It would be easy to multiply examples showing how 

 the small farmer of Europe is providing himself with 

 capital by means of association, and how this increased 

 application of capital has been the cause of a great 

 development of agriculture. But the application of 

 these examples to India is very remote. The co- 

 operative movement can hardly be said to have yet 

 begun in India. At present the Indian cultivator 

 does not see the desirability of the objects for which 

 European peasants usually associate. He has no 

 knowledge of chemical fertilizers, or of agricultural 

 machinery ; reasons of caste or religion would prevent 

 the majority of them from developing an industry in 

 eggs or bacon-curing. But most of all, he is ignorant 

 of the superior efficiency of co-operation in industrial 

 or commercial operations. When once the co-opera- 

 tive spirit has taken root, it is very probable that the 

 Indian villager will realize that he may develop the 

 trade in ghi (clarified butter) with great advantage to 

 himself. Pure ghi is difficult to get in Indian towns ; 

 it is for the most part scandalously adulterated by 

 means most offensive to high-caste Hindus. In the 

 manufacture of good ghi on co-operative principles, 

 there is an opening for co-operative dairying which 

 has in Europe often proved to be the beginning of 

 a far-reaching co-operative movement. But these 

 openings are not likely to be used until the Indian 

 cultivator has learned by experience the value of 



* 'The Organization of Agriculture/ E. A. Pratt. 



