1910.] Acreage and Live Stock Returns of 1910. 649 



tributions, but it cannot be drawn upon except by the vote 

 of the annual general meeting. The object is to fix to whom 

 it actually belongs, and to regulate that it shall only be used 

 to reduce premiums, to help losses, and to aid co-operation. 

 Each society will thus be seen to have a reserve fund in its 

 own hands, and another reserve fund in the hands of the 

 central union, and will be interested in the growth of both. 



The central union has its staff and its organisers, provides 

 all instruction at the start, together with the account-books 

 and printed forms, balance-sheets and audit-forms, and levies, 

 in payment for these services, a small sum annually from 

 each society. The societies engage with the central union for 

 three years, and only at the expiration of three years can 

 the re-insuring rate of premium be altered; then it is fixed 

 again for a similar period, always with a minimum of 1 per 

 cent., below which it must never go. At this triennial settle- 

 ment societies which have paid in more than they have drawn 

 out from the central union can have a corresponding deduc- 

 tion made ifrom their premium, and societies which have 

 drawn out for losses more than they paid in have a corre- 

 sponding addition made to their rate of premium, and societies 

 can be refused re-admission. 



The above is a summary of the broad general principles on 

 which co-operative live stock insurance on the Continent is 

 organised. The system has up to the present received only 

 a limited recognition in this country, but its wider adoption 

 would' undoubtedly be attended by as satisfactory results as 

 have been attained in France, Germany and elsewhere.* 



ACREAGE AND LIVE STOCK RETURNS OF 1910. 



A summary table showing the acreage of crops and number 

 of live stock in Great Britain, as returned on the 4th June 

 last, was given in the Journal, October, 1910, and 

 some notes on the changes which have occurred since last 

 season are given below. The extent of arable land and 



* Information on the Mutual Insurance of Live Stock in Great Britain is 

 given in Leaflet No. 221, issued by the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries; 

 this Leaflet discusses the various points to be considered in drafting the mles for 

 a live stock insurance society. 



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