257 Miscellaneous. 



to members for milk delivered to the societies was 3'97d. per Imperial gallon ; and 

 the net profit on the operation of all the societies, after deducting working expenses, 

 was £14,576. 



The co-operative poultry societies in Ireland have confined themselves as 

 a rule to the collection and sale of eggs on behalf of their members, but some of 

 them have recently embarked in the table-poultry trade. They purchase eggs 

 as well as poultry from their members by weight, and the introduction of this 

 practice is said to have had the effect of making poultry-keepers more interested 

 than before in maintaining a good breed of fowls. 



In every ease the price paid for the eggs sold through the societies has 

 been above that obtained before they were started. It is claimed that the societies 

 have accomplished an incalculable amount of useful work for the poultry industry 

 of Ireland by raising the standard of quality, by introducing new and improved 

 methods of keeping fowls, and by procuring for their members birds of serviceable 

 pure breeds. 



In Great Britain the co-operative movement has hitherto advanced very 

 slowly amongst agriculturists. There are, however, several old-fashioned associa- 

 tions for the joint purchase of manures in England, and a number of similar 

 bodies exist in Scotland. Among the English institutions of this class, one of the 

 oldest is the Lincolnshire Farmers' Association, established in June, 1868, for the 

 purpose of purchasing genuine phosphatic manures of guaranteed quality, and 

 supplying the same to its members at cost price. This society is organised on a 

 strictly co-operative basis ; no profit is made on its transactions, and the working 

 expenses are defrayed by an entrance fee of twopence per acre on the land occupied 

 by each member, and by a fee of one shilling per ton on the goods ordered. All 

 manures are analysed free of cost to the members, and delivered carriage free 

 within a certain area. In 1901 this association distributed 6,400 tons of superphos- 

 phate to its members, and its accounts for that year showed a turnover of over £19,000. 

 It is maintained that by the influence of the Lincolnshire Farmers' Association 

 the price of manures has been considerably reduced, and that consequently 

 thousands of pounds have been saved by the members, and by others connected 

 with the cultivation of land within the sphere of the Association's operations. 



A few other Farmers' Supply Associations exist in various parts of Great 

 Britain, but most of them differ from the Lincolnshire Association in the sense 

 that they are run as large stores or companies with considerable share capital upon 

 which dividends are paid. 



In addition to these large associations, there are to be found, here and there, 

 in some of the western counties of England, local manure clubs working on a small 

 scale on the lines of the Lincolnshire Association : and a number of analytical 

 societies of the same type exist in Scotland. But the benefits to be gained from 

 the formation of societies of this class have not yet been recognised by the great 

 body of occupiers of small holdings and allotments south of the Tweed, amongst 

 whom there is great scope for all forms of co-operation. 



The task of organising agricultural co-operative associations in Great Britain 

 has been recently taken up by the Agricultural Organisation Society, which has 

 been found for the same purpose as the kindred society in Ireland. The objects 

 of this society, as stated in their report, are to secure the co-operation " of all 

 connected with the land whether as owners, occupiers, or labourers, and to promote 

 the formation of agricultural co-operative societies for the purchase of requisites 

 for the sale of produce, for agricultural credit banking and insurance and for all 

 other forms of co-operation for the benefit of agriculture." The society carries 

 on its work by sending organisers to address meetings and to give advice as to 



