922 



Co-operative Societies. [march, 



another old-estaolished co-operative society dating from about 

 1872. It undertakes the purchase of fertilisers, feeding-stuffs, 

 seeds, and other requirements, and it endeavours to guard 

 against adulteration by subjecting the commodities bought to 

 systematic analysis. Its share capital is only ^2,063 in £1 

 shares, and interest at the rate of 5 per cent, is guaranteed 

 to members whose purchases amount to ;£io. The surplus 

 profits are divided yearly, and it is pointed out in the Report 

 for 1907 that the actual caoital invested has been returned to 

 purchasing members in interest and dividends four times 

 over. The actual sales for the year are not given, but it is 

 stated that since the formation of the Society the total sales 

 have amounted to ^552,000. 



Farmers 9 Supply Association of Scotland, — This Society, 

 which was founded in 1884, differs from any of the foregoing 

 in that it is registered under the Industrial and Provident 

 Societies Acts. It is strictly co-operative, no sales being 

 made to the outside public, and only persons directly con- 

 nected with farming are admitted as members. The holding 

 of a single £1 share admits to all the privileges of member- 

 ship, and there is no limit to the number of members. In 

 1907 3,932 shares had been subscribed for by 1,305 members. 

 Interest is limited to 5 per cent., but any additional profits 

 may be divided in proportion to the purchases. The business 

 done has steadily increased and the sales amounted to nearly 

 ,£50,000 in 1907. 



In an amendment of the rules of this Society made in 1906, 

 it was provided that agricultural co-operative societies or 

 similar bodies may become members of the Association, and 

 that goods may be supplied to such societies for use on the 

 farms or properties of their members. By this means a small 

 society is able to obtain goods on better terms than it could 

 if purchasing for itself alone, and eight such societies, pro- 

 moted by the Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society, 

 became members in 1907. 



The above are examples of some of the older agricultural 

 societies. In 1901 the Agricultural Organisation Society was 

 established for the purpose of encouraging the application of 

 co-operative principles to agriculture, and since then a number 

 of new societies 'for the supply of requirements have been 



