920 



Co-operative Societies. 



[march, 



supplying members with manures, feeding stuffs, seeds, and 

 all agricultural requisites, in order, as the prospectus states, 

 "to avoid both the risks of adulteration and impurity, and the 

 increased prices which are inevitable when transactions are 

 carried on by agents and advertising." The capital is limited 

 to ^20,000 in £i shares, and the possession of five shares 

 entitles the holder to the advantages of the Association. At 

 least one-half of the profits is to be returned to purchasing 

 members in proportion to the amount they buy, and not more 

 than 5 per cent, is to be paid on the subscribed capital. The 

 success of the Association is shown by the great increase in 

 the sales during the past twenty years : in 1887 they amounted 

 to ^20,000, in 1897 to ;£33> 000 > m I 9° 2 to ;£7 2 >ooo, and in 

 1907 to ,£110,000; the profit in the last-named year was 

 ,£2,400, and a bonus of 6d. in the £ on members' purchases 

 was paid in addition to interest. 



Northumberland Agricultural Supply Association. — This 

 Association, which dates from 1872, is a joint stock company 

 on similar lines to the Cheshire Association. The capital is 

 ,£5,000, and the sales in 1907 were ,£14,600. A bonus of 3d. 

 in the £ was paid on the purchases, in addition to 5 per cent, 

 interest. 



Western Counties Agricultural Co-operative Association. — 

 This Company was formed in 1879 for the purpose of supply- 

 ing its shareholders and members with agricultural require- 

 ments on advantageous terms for their mutual benefit. Mem- 

 bers are admitted at an annual subscription of 55. The 

 progress of this Association has been very striking : — In 1883 

 the sales amounted to ,£68,000, in 1889 to £143,000, in 1898 

 to ,£298,000, and in 1907 to ,£536,000. The business is stated 

 to be conducted on strictly co-operative principles, and all 

 surplus profits are divided annually in proportion to the 

 amount of the purchases; in 1907 the bonus was 4J<2. in the 

 £. The capital is ,£50,000 in ,£5 shares, and interest thereon 

 is limited to 5 per cent. 



The principal offices are at Plymouth, and it has mills for 

 the manufacture of foods and manures at Bristol, Truro, 

 Bideford, Carmarthen, and Guernsey, and also branches at 

 Wadebridge, Exeter, Southampton, and Cardigan. 



West Norfolk Farmers' Manure Co. — This Company, 



