Sept. 1894.] AGRICULTUEAL CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES IN FRANCE. 7 



III.— AGRICULTURAL CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES IN 



FRANCE. 



In the Annuaire des Syndicats Professionels, published by 

 the French Ministry of Commerce, it is stated that the number 

 of agricultural co-operative syndicates existing in France on the 

 1st July 1892 was 863. 



In addition to the 863 registered in 1892 there were seven 

 associations which had not complied with the legal requirements 

 as to registration, but which were nevertheless tolerated by the 

 State. M. Hautefeuille, in the Annmdre^des Syndicats Agricoles, 

 states that there are now about 1,100 agricultural syndicates in 

 France. In this estimate, however, he includes a number of 

 syndicates of horticulturists, market gardeners and florists, as 

 well as numerous small societies "formed for the protection of 

 vines against the phylloxera, and for the destruction of cock- 

 chafers and other noxious insects. 



According to the official Annuaire, the total number of 

 members in the 870 agricultural syndicates 'existing in July 

 1892 was 313,800. This figure is regarded as too low by a 

 writer in the Nouvelle Revue, who estimates that about 600,000 

 individuals, whom he styles the elite of French agriculture, are 

 enrolled in the syndicates. 



The majority of the syndicates have combined for the forma- 

 tion of a number of unions or federations. In July 1892, 653 

 of the " syndicats agricoles " were officially returned as being 

 affiliated to 74 unions. Of these 469 were connected with the 

 ''Union des Syndicats des Agriculteurs de France," having its 

 headquarters at Paris ; 127 were represented in six regional 

 unions ; and the remaining fifty-seven were affiliated to seven 

 departmental unions. 



The administrative staff of a syndicate consists nearly always 

 of a president, a vice-president, a secretary, and a treasurer. 

 Some of the larger bodies have two or even three vice-presidents, 

 and sometimes a secretary general with two or three assistants. 

 These officers form the executive bureau or council. In cases 

 where the number of members exceeds one hundred there is 

 usually, also, a syndical chamber, or directorate, with duties of a 

 merely consultative character, but nevertheless exercising more or 

 less control over the council of management. A salaried manager 

 is employed in a few instances, but it more frequently happens 

 that the whole of the work is performed by the president and 

 other officials, who receive no remuneration for their services. 

 The members of the bureau or council are elected for a term of 

 years either by votes at the general meeting, or where there is 

 a directorate, by the directors from amongst themselves. The 



