Sept. 1894.] AGRICULTURAL CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES IN FRANCE. 9 



tions with from 2,000 to 5,000 members, 3 with more than 5,000 

 but less than 10,000, and 2 with over 10,000. 



The organisations which have 1,000 members and upwards are 

 principally departmental syndicates, that is to say, their opera- 

 tions extend over an entire Departement. Next to these rank the 

 regional syndicates covering two or more divisions of a Departe- 

 ment, and then come the smaller bodies, communal or village 

 syndicates, representing a comparatively small area. 



The majority of the village, communal, and regional syndicates 

 are affiliated to the more powerful departmental organisations, 

 and the latter in their turn have combined in the formation of 

 unions and federations. 



Nearly all the syndicates were originally formed for the 

 purchase in common of artificial manures and for the suppression 

 of fraud in the manure trade : two objects which still constitute 

 the main features of their work. Members are requested by 

 circulars, or by notices inserted in the journal of the syndicate, to 

 send in their orders to the central office on or before a certain 

 date, once or twice in the year according to the practice and 

 requirements of the district. The orders represent collectively 

 a more or less considerable quantity which can usually be 

 purchased, either by private treaty or by tender, at a price 

 little, if anything, above the wholesale quotations. Samples of 

 the articles are analysed by the chemist att iched to the syndicate, 

 and if these are found to be satisfactory the manures are 

 subsequently distributed by road and rail to the members. A 

 small commission is levied to defray the costs of analysis and 

 distribution. 



To promote the use of artificial fertilisers, some of the larger 

 organisations have established, in the villages, depots where the 

 peasant may obtain his few sacks of manure on payment of a 

 sum only slightly in excess of that charged to a member who 

 purchases in bulk. 



Co-operation in purchase has in recent years been extended 

 to feeding stuffs, seeds, insecticides, machines, implements, and 

 numerous other requisit*^s, professional and domestic, of the 

 farmer. 



The procedure is practically the same in all cases. Invoices 

 are checked and passed by the council of the syndicate, and bills 

 are drawn by the manufacturers and tradesmen on the individual 

 members for goods supplied. If it is found necessary to take 

 proceedings against a manufacturer for fraud, these are generally 

 instituted by, and at the expense of, the syndicate, but in the 

 name of the aggrieved member. 



Few of the associations undertake responsibility in respect of 

 payment for goods ordered on behalf of the members. As a 

 rule the manufacturer or dealer has to draw a bill, sometimes 

 for an insignificant sum, payable at one, two, or three months, 

 on each individual who sent in an order. But although the 

 syndicates offer no material security to the trade, their reputa- 



