474 Co-operative Granaries in Germany, [nov., 



sale. By this system the members undertake to deliver their 

 whole crop as it is threshed, and they receive on account about 

 75 per cent, of the current price. The society sells the grain 

 to the best advantage according to its judgment. At the end 

 of the season the average price obtained for each quality, of 

 which there are generally three, is ascertained, and the members 

 then receive the difference between this price and what they 

 have already received after a deduction for cost of warehousing 

 and for the expenses of the society. The members thus participate 

 equally in the returns and obtain the average price for the year. 



An essential part of the business is the facility afforded for 

 drying and cleaning the corn, as all the warehouses are provided 

 with machinery for this purpose. Generally the results obtained 

 by the cleaning of the grain have beenjjavourable, but in some 

 cases it is stated that the cost of cleaning wet grain is not covered 

 by the improved value. 



On the whole, according to an official Report* recently pub- 

 lished, there was a nearly unanimous opinion on the part of the 

 managers of these corn-houses that in the districts provided 

 with them the small proprietor who takes his grain to market 

 in small quantities obtains a larger share of his produce than 

 formerly, and that the difference in price previously existing 

 between the larger markets and smaller places and railway 

 stations has sensibly diminished. Out of the 32 warehouses, 16 

 made a profit on the year's working and 13 a loss, while in the 

 case of three their receipts and expenditure balanced one another. 

 The reserve funds increased during the year from ;£ 12,000 to 

 ;£i 7,000. The lack of success from a financial point of view, 

 where it occurred, is attributed to a variety of reasons, among 

 which may be mentioned the fact that in some warehouses there 

 is no obligation on the members to deliver the whole of the 

 grain grown by them. It is noted that better financial results 

 seemed to be obtained in those cases where the assistance 

 afforded by the State was the least, and the responsibility of 

 the society correspondingly greater. 



The societies by whom these granaries are managed are 

 all affiliated to some central union, and their work is centralised 



* Detitscher Reichs-Anzeiger, June 24th, 1904. 



