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FARMERS' CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES. 



The growth of voluntary co-operative associations of 

 farmers for the promotion of their common interests has been 

 a noteworthy feature in the history of agriculture during the 

 past quarter of a century. This movement has hitherto 

 found its greatest expansion on the Continent, where also it 

 has been longest established. But within the past ten years 

 there has been a remarkable development in this direction in 

 the rural districts of Ireland, and the principle of combination 

 has also been applied with success to the dairy industry in 

 British Colonies and the United States. On the other hand, 

 among agriculturists in Great Britain co-operation has not 

 yet made much progress, though, owing to the efforts of the 

 .Agricultural Organisation Society, the advantages to be 

 obtained by it are slowly becoming more generally recog- 

 nised by British farmers. 



Some of the earliest co-operative associations established 

 on the Continent took the form of credit banks or agricultural 

 loan societies, which now exist in large numbers in regions 

 occupied by small holders and peasant farmers, particularly 

 in Germany, Italy, and Belgium. Information as to the 

 organisation and operations of these banks abroad has 

 frequently appeared in this Journal, and an account of what 

 has been done by some which have been established in this 

 country is given on page 42. Briefly stated, their object is 

 to enable their members to borrow small sums at a low rate 

 of interest for the purchase of farming requisites. 



Next to the banks, the most common, and perhaps the most 

 effective form of combination amongst farmers is to be found 

 in the joint purchase societies, or agricultural trading 

 associations. Their usual function is to purchase wholesale^ 

 manures, feeding stuffs, seeds, implements, and other articles 



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