9 6 



Agricultural Societies in Poland. 



for the use of a plough, from 50!. to 2s. for winnowers, and 

 2S. to as. 6d. for drills. It is stated that ,£29,000 worth 

 of agricultural machinery passed through the hands of the 

 Warsaw society in 1900. Measures have been taken by the 

 societies to enable farmers to obtain artificial manures and 

 the best seed on credit at only 5 per cent, over the whole- 

 sale price. 



In Lithuania some of the societies intend to undertake 

 certain new projects, such as a pension fund for village 

 officials, higher agricultural instruction, and the issue 

 of an agricultural newspaper. The Vilna society already has 

 its own store, from which members obtain on credit agricul- 

 tural implements at wholesale prices. It is also intended to 

 start a primary agricultural school. A society for the 

 improvement of local breeds of cattle and an insurance 

 society against damage done by hail have been formed in 

 Poland, and an agricultural insurance society now exists 

 in Lithuania. 



These agricultural societies are reported to have been 

 much appreciated and to have done much good, but the 

 weak point ot their organisation is that they are too 

 small, and therefore limited in resources, owing to the 1act 

 that the authorities will permit only the formation of local 

 societies, whose sphere of activity is confined to a single 

 government. 



In order to improve the quality of butter, it is proposed 

 to establish in Poland central butter factories, fitted 

 with all modern appliances, by responsible estate owners 

 who will purchase all the milk from farmers within a radius 

 of ten miles. One half of the requisite capital is to be pro- 

 vided by the local owners, and the ocher half by a British 

 company, which undertakes to dispose of the whole production. 

 It is expected that this combination will ensure to the local 

 producer a regular market tor the butter, and to the British 

 partner and importer half the profits of production and regu- 

 lar delivery throughout the year of a fixed quantity of butter, 

 which will only take from six to eight days to reach the 

 British market. 



{Foreign Office Be/or/, Annual Series, No. 2578. Price 40J.] 



