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SOME ENGLISH CO-OPERATIVE AGRICULTURAL 

 SOCIETIES AT WORK. 



One of the first co-operative trading associations formed in 

 England as the result of the propagandist work of the British 

 Agricultural Organisation Society was the Co-operative Agri- 

 cultural Society at Muskham, a small village in Nottingham- 

 shire. It received its certificate of registration on May ist, 1899, 

 The shares are of the value of 5s., with is. 3d. called up. For 

 the first few months the membership consisted of only the seven 

 members and the secretary, who signed the rules, which 

 is the number required under the Industrial and Provident 

 Societies Act before the Chief Registrar can consider the 

 application for registration. At the end of a few months 

 only one additional member was enrolled, and by very 

 slow degrees was the membership increased. The present 

 number of members is 47. The object of the society was 

 primarily to purchase in bulk goods required by the members. 

 An early endeavour was made by the secretary to secure quo- 

 tations from local and other manufacturers for these requirements, 

 and although at first many difficulties were experienced, these 

 have gradually been more or less overcome. 



Just previous to the beginning of harvest in 1899 a suggestion 

 was made by some of the members that a " reaper and binder " 

 should be purchased for the use of the society. At first the 

 proposal did not find favour, especially as the paid-up capital 

 of the society did not exceed £i$ y but a special meeting was 

 called to consider the question, and after some discussion it was 

 decided to appoint a sub-committee to inspect an American 

 machine. The sub-committee, after making an inspection, de- 

 cided to recommend the purchase of the machine provided a 

 sufficient guarantee were given with it. The general committee 

 ratified the recommendations of the sub-committee. The price 

 asked was ^32, less discount. To raise this money a form of 

 guarantee supplied by the society's bankers was drawn up 



