Miscellaneous. 



254 



regularly collected, when these recoveries are brought to account in an accurate 

 and systematic manner, and when over these accounts an efficient scrutiny 

 of audit is provided, then it may with confidence be hoped that the develop- 

 ment of Irrigation works will be much accelerated and their financial position 

 much improved. None, moreover, of these changes would involve controversial 

 issues ; they merely make for the better regulation of existing machinery. 



FARMERS' CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES. 



The growth of voluntary co-operative associations of farmers for the 

 promotion of their common interests has been a noteworthy feature in the history 

 of agriculture during the past quarter of a century. This movement has hitherto 

 found its greatest expansion on the Continent, where also it has been longest 

 established. But within the past ten years there has been a remarkable develop- 

 ment in this direction in the rural districts of Ireland, and the principle of 

 combination has also been applied with success to the dairy industry in the British 

 Colonies and the United States. On the other hand, among agriculturists in 

 Great Britain co-operation has not yet made much progress, though, owing to 

 the efforts of the Agricultural Organisation Society, the advantages to be obtained 

 by it are slowly becoming more generally recognised by British farmers. 



Some of the earliest co-operative associations established on the Continent 

 took the form of credit banks or agricultural loan societies which now exist in 

 large numbers in regions occupied by small holders and peasant farmers, particularly 

 in Germany, Italy, and Belgium. Briefly stated, their object is to enable their 

 members to borrow small sums at low rate of interest for the purchase of 

 farming requisites. In Ireland small agricultural credit banks have been established 

 in many districts under the auspices of the Irish Agricultural Organisation Society. 

 A few village banks of this kind have also been started in England during the past 

 ten years. Particulars of the organisation of these institutions may be obtained 

 from the Secretary of the Co-operative Banks Association, 29, Old Queen Street, 

 Westminister, S.W. 



Next to the banks, the most common, and perhaps the most effective, form 

 of combination amongst farmers is to be found in the joint purchase societies, or 

 agricultural trading associations. Their usual function is to purchase wholesale, 

 manures, feeding stuffs, seeds, implements, and other articles used on the farm. 

 By purchasing in large quantities direct from the manufacturer, these societies are 

 able to obtain supplies for their member s at wholesale prices. In this way they not 

 only help the small farmer to procure his manures and feeding stuffs at a more 

 moderate price than he could do by purchasing for himself alone, but they also 

 save him a large part of the incidental charges usually incurred by the individual 

 buyer in tile carriage and testing of the goods. For instance, only one analysis 

 is required of a fertiliser or feeding stuff consigned in truck-loads to the society to 

 test the quality of the several portions of the consignment bought on behalf of 

 individual members, while each member benefits by the lower rates of carriage 

 obtained by collecting sufficient orders to make up loads of four tons and upwards. 



Co-operation in production has been applied with greatest success to the 

 dairy industry. The remarkable development of the butter trade of Denmark is 

 attributed largely to the establishment of co-operative dairies and creameries, which 

 have enabled the farmers of that country to supply the British market with 

 immense quantities of butter of uniform quality. Uniformity in flavour, in 



