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English Agricultural Societies. 



be stated here that the rates fixed by the committee for members 

 worked out at sixpence per acre less than was charged locally 

 by those who owned machines and hired them out to their 

 neighbours. 



This co-operative reaper and binder has this year completed 

 its third season, and the rate to members has been reduced to 

 4s. 3d. per acre. It paid for itself in two seasons, and is now 

 the property of the society. It is in thorough working order, 

 and the bill for repairs this year did not amount to is. 6d. This 

 venture of the Muskham Society has in every way fulfilled 

 expectations, and has been of considerable value to the 

 members. 



The society has also been of much benefit to its members in 

 supplying coal at moderate prices. Many of the members are 

 only small farmers, consequently the fact -that they are able to 

 reap the advantages of purchase by means of the combined orders 

 of all the members means a considerable saving to them. The 

 society has for some time past been trying to negotiate with the 

 railway company with the object of obtaining permission to 

 store its coal, and other requirements purchased from time to 

 time, on the company's waste land. If the society can obtain 

 this concession its usefulness will be largely increased. More 

 than half the coal delivered in the village is dealt with by the 

 society. 



Another movement soon to be inaugurated ^by this society is 

 the petitioning of the railway company to make the Muskham 

 siding a passenger station, with sidings for loading and unloading 

 live stock, the nearest passenger station being four miles distant. 



In the early days of the society it was found that merely to 

 collect requirements and order in bulk did not produce the 

 fullest advantage to the smaller farmer members. A store was 

 taken in the village to get over this difficulty, so that now it is 

 possible for a labourer member to purchase a few stones of 

 maize or feeding stuffs for his poultry or his pigs at the same 

 rate as the larger farmer. 



The Muskham Society has done much towards the brightening 

 of rural life. It approached the Technical Education Committee 

 of the Nottingham County Council in 1900, and concluded 

 arrangements for the delivery of lectures on agricultural 



