Miscellaneous, 244 



[April 1907. 



The report shows that the work of the Agricultural Organisation Society 

 continues to make satisfactory progress, but an appeal is made for additional funds 

 in order to enable an extension in directions which at present have to be almost 

 entirely neglected. 



In the second portion of the report an account is given of the work of the 

 affiliated societies. Among new developments, mention may be made of the 

 successful introduction of the co-operative sale of live stock by the Winchcombe 

 Co-operative Auction Mart, which commenced business in February, 1905. The Mart 

 has proved a complete and striking success. During 1905 eleven sales were held, at 

 which 1,074 beasts, 3,084 sheep, and 1,363 pigs were disposed of, the total amount 

 realised being £17,459, the prices throughout comparing favourably with the prices 

 ruling in other markets in the country. The receipts from commissions, &c, 

 amounted to £254 Is. lid., and the expenses to £89 2s. 5d. 



The paid-up share capital of the Society was £975. Land was acquired and a 

 market constructed at a total cost of £1,427, the Society raising a mortgage of £400 

 upon the land. After paying interest on the mortgage and share capital and other 

 charges the Society made a net profit of £100 19s., the greater portion of which was 

 distributed amongst the members as a bonus upon their sales through the Society. 

 A scheme is on foot for the establishment of a similar co-operative auction market 

 at Winchester. 



Another form of co-operation which might be taken up by agricultural 

 co-operative societies is its application to the improvement of live stock. Very few 

 societies have as yet done anything in this direction. The Buckingham Agricultural 

 Trading Association has made an arrangement with the owner of a Shire stallion, 

 whereby the horse shall be at the service of any member for his mares, at £1 5s. per 

 mare, instead of the usual fee of £2 2s. All such mares are booked and paid for by 

 the Association, which collects the service fees from the members, deducting a 

 commission of 2h per cent, for doing so. 



The Lledrod Agricultural Society, Cardiganshire, has adopted a different 

 system. The Society has not, as a society, undertaken the improvement of 4 stock, 

 but groups of eight, ten or twelve members have been formed to purchase bulls, A 

 service fee of Is, is charged to those who shared in the cost of the bull ; to 

 others a charge of 2s. 6d. is made, When the bull is sold, each of the contributing 

 members receives back what he paid, and if there is any profit, it is handed over to 

 the member by whom the bull was kept. 



Several co-operative allotment societies have been formed which hire land 

 direct and let it out to their members.— Journal of the Board of Agriculture. 



SCHOOL GARDENS AND THEIR WORK. 

 Many and varied are the branches of instruction undertaken by the various 

 committees charged with the administration of technical education up and down 

 the country, but we doubt if any subject taught is of greater, or even of equal 

 utilitarian value, to that of gardening. At the end of the session the students have 

 something tangible to see as the result of their labour and instruction. No one will 

 deny that ?ood work has been done in fostering a love of the craft among cottagers 

 and allottment-holders, for one has only to visit a show such as we recently attended 

 to see the extraordinary produce of fruits, flowers, and vegetables, from allottment 

 grounds. Similar instruction is now being, in many cases, extended to the elder 

 boys in the village schools, and the establishment of school-gardens, such as we 

 warmly advocated many years ago, but at the time with little effect, is now 

 rapidly developing. One of the most active counties in this direction is Hertford- 



