Nov. 1906.] 



415 



Miscellaneous. 



own. When there is no endosperm, as in peas, the food is stored in the embryo. 

 The gourds and squashes are good examples of albuminous, the peas and beans of 

 exalbuminous, seeds. 



The gynoeceum or ovary may be superior or inferior (above) ; apocarpous (if free) or syncarpous 

 (if united) carpels; may have axile, free central, parietal, basal, or apical placentation ; may be 

 uni- tri- multi-locular, &o. (with 1, 2, 3, many chambers). The style is visually terminal, but may be 

 lateral ; it may be long, short, or absent (stigma sessile) ; cylindrical, thread-like, &c. ; single, or as 

 many styles as carpels. The stigma or stigmas may be sessile or on a style or styles ; simple, and 

 then often capitate or head-like, lobed (branched into large branches with but small bays between 

 them), bi- tri- multi-fid (with larger brandies), &c. The ovule may be erect, ascending (sloping upwards^, 

 horizontal, or pendulous (hanging). It may be orlhotropous (in line with the stalk) anatropous (bent 

 back on the stalk, see plate) or campylolropous (doubled on itself). All these characters are important 

 in classification. 



(To be continued.) 



CO-OPERATIVE CREDIT IN THE UNITED PROVINCES, INDIA. II. 



The raising of capital to finance co-operative societies has presented no 

 difficulties since the passing of Act X of 1901. The Cawnpore Woollen Mills Company 

 placed a sum of Rs. 10,000 at the disposal of the Registrar, for the purposes of 

 advances to such societies. The rate of interest charged is 5 per cent, and according 

 to the terms for repayment of principal, the amount shall be paid in ten equal 

 annual instalments, beginning with the sixth year after the money has been drawn. 

 Besides this, Rs. 5,000 of the advance given by Mr. D. M. Hamilton, of Calcutta, has 

 fallen to the share of these Provinces. Apart from these two loans, local capital is 

 rapidly becoming available. In the Bulandshahr District, the Organization Society 

 has raised a sum of Rs. 7,000 from the local market at 6 per cent. In the Banda dis- 

 trict, the local mahajans are anxious to invest in the district societies at the same 

 rate. It seems very probable that all the permanent capital that may prove neces- 

 sary for co-operative societies in the near future will be locally obtainable without 

 resort to loans from Government except in special cases. The system of depositing 

 money is also showing signs of growth, and in some districts a fair proportion of the 

 working capital is provided in this form by the members themselves. So common is 

 this habit of deposit becoming, that in a number of the societies recently started, 

 the members have agreed to a compulsory half-yearly deposit, as a condition of 

 membership of the society. These compulsory deposits, which are in the first 

 instance of the nature of fixed deposits for five years, take on or two forms. Either 

 they are calculated on the rent paid by the member, the rate varying in different 

 societies from two pice to one anna per rupee, or they are made in grain at the rate 

 of one or two pansiris for every plough in the member's use. In the latter case, 

 the grain is sold by the punchayat in the open market and the proceeds credited 

 to the account of the member? who have made the deposit. 



In both cases, the deposits bear interest at the rate of one anna in the rupee 

 per annum. The advantages of such a system of deposit are obvious. In the first 

 place, they are a means of increasing the working capital of the society, and allow 

 of gradual expansion of its operations. They are also valuable as an effective means 

 of increasing the interest taken by the members in the success of the institution, 

 and of causing them to teel that the society is their own, not a venture started and 

 financed by the Government aud dependent on the exertions of officials for existence 

 and success. Probably the most important of all the results which may be antici- 

 pated from the system lies in the cultivation of habits of thrift. It may reasonably 

 be hoped that in the conclusion of the initial quinquennial period, the habit of 

 deposit will have grown so strong, and its advantages become so apparent, that the 

 members will volunteer to continue the custom. 



