EXAMPLES FROM OTHER LANDS 51 



suggestion was made that co-operative factories of the same 

 kind in various countries should make such mutual arrange- 

 ments as would facilitate the sale of their output, and give 

 to the co-operative societies in general a still greater degree 

 of independence in providing for the needs of their members. 

 The view adopted, however, was that, while it certainly was 

 desirable that the different countries should exchange ex- 

 periences, with the object of concerting measures in common 

 to counteract the action of trusts or combinations likely to 

 be hostile to agriculturists, it was not at present expedient 

 that the societies should enter on the risks and uncertainties 

 of international co-operative trading. 



It was further suggested that steps should be taken by the 

 Confederation to facilitate the interchange of capital between 

 rural credit societies and other agricultural co-operative 

 bodies, both nationally and internationally; and though 

 difficulties in the way of international action were once more 

 foreseen, the fact that the proposal was brought forward at 

 all is further suggestive of the direction that is being taken 

 by the minds of leaders of agricultural organisation on the 

 Continent of Europe. 



International Institute of Agriculture. 



How universal are the efforts now being made to place 

 the interests of agriculture on a sounder scientific and 

 economic basis can best be shown, perhaps, by some further 

 details respecting the International Institute of Agriculture, 

 to which reference has already been made. 



The Institute was established, with headquarters at Rome, 

 under an International Treaty, dated June 7th, 1905, in 

 order, among other things, " to study questions concerning 

 agricultural co-operation, insurance, and credit in all their 

 forms, and to collect and publish information which might 

 be useful in the various countries for the organisation of 

 agricultural co-operative insurance and credit institutions." 

 The Treaty was ratified by forty Governments, and ten 

 others have since given in their adhesion. Bulletins are 

 published by the Institute on " Agricultural Statistics," 



e 2 



