1909.] 



Co-operative Societies. 



921 



which has its headquarters at King's Lynn, was founded in 

 1872 by a body of East Anglian farmers, and it is stated in 

 the Company's Annual Circular for 1909 that "the objects 

 they had in view were, in the first place, to determine by 

 field experiments, and with continuous and careful observa- 

 tion, how best they could fertilise their soils and increase 

 their crops. Having acquired this knowledge, they proposed 

 to manufacture in their own factory, and under their own 

 control, the desired articles or compounds." 



Capital was raised by the issue of £1 shares, the interest 

 on which is limited to 6 per cent., any profit above that 

 amount being divided among the consuming shareholders in 

 the proportion of two-thirds on the quantitv purchased, and 

 one-third on the capital invested in the Company. All the 

 shares have been issued, so that persons can now onlv become 

 shareholders bv purchasing any shares which may be offered 

 for sale by the present holders. 



Manures are manufactured in the factory, the quantity sold 

 last year being 32,000 tons, while other kinds, as well as 

 feeding-stuffs and various agricultural requisites, are pur- 

 chased for sale to customers. Sales are not limited to share- 

 holders. During the last ten years the business of the Com- 

 pany has doubled, and early last year it was resolved to add 

 another factory, and land was bought for the purpose. 

 Action in this direction has, however, been deferred for the 

 present. 



An interesting feature of this Company is that it has from 

 its first inception carried out field experiments on the farms 

 of its shareholders or of sympathetic friends. Unfortunately, 

 the results of these experiments have not been made 

 public, though it is stated that they have been "duly noted 

 and recorded." Importance is also attached to the chemical 

 and physical analvsis of soils, and during the past five years 

 1,092 samples of soil have been examined in the Laboratory. 

 It is observed in the Circular above referred to that by con- 

 tinuing this process a knowledge of the requirements of each 

 district is being acquired. Analyses are also made of fer- 

 tilisers, and advice is given respecting insect and fungus 

 attacks. 



Aspatria Agricultural Co-operative Society. — This is 



K ■ 



