Co-operation amongst French Farmers. 173 



fifty-five associations have been established for the purpose. 

 The business of these societies is usually confined to insurance 

 against mortality, but there is one instance of a society 

 insuring its members against the seizure of carcases, intended 

 for the butcher, which are declared by the authorities to be 

 tuberculous. The insurance of the milch cows of their 

 members has also become a common feature in co-operative 

 dairies. 



Milling and Bread-making. 



In several districts in France agriculturists have succeeded 

 in dispensing with the services of the miller by the formation 

 of milling associations on a co-operative basis. One such 

 example is the Co-operative Milling Society of Arbois (Jura). 

 The capital of this Society is not fixed, but may be 

 varied between ^800, consisting of founders' shares, and 

 ,£4,000, the difference being made up of more shares, or of 

 bonds subscribed for by associates. A mill was purchased 

 by the Society at a cost of £560, and opened on the 1st 

 December, 1894. The shareholders and associates undertake 

 to have ground by the Society all the grain required for 

 domestic purposes and for their animals, but they are not 

 allowed to trade in flour. The charge made by the Society 

 for threshing, winnowing, and milling the grain is about 6£d. 

 per cwt. of grain. The net profits at the end of the year 

 are divided as follows : — 20 per cent, is placed to the reserve 

 fund, 5 per cent, goes to the shareholders, 25 per cent, to the 

 employes, and 50 per cent, to such shareholders or associates 

 as have spent ten francs (8s.) at least in milling or other work. 

 On the 1st November, 1895, the number of members was 

 220, and some 30 cwt. of grain was being ground per 

 day. Under the existing arrangements, each member 

 receives back the flour made from his own grain, but it is 

 hoped that in the future it may be possible to put all the 

 corn into a common stock. 



Another Society in the north of France has purchased a flour- 

 mill with modern machinery at a cost of ^"6,000. In this case the- 

 corn is purchased from the members at the current market 

 price, and the resulting flour is also sold at current prices, 

 preferably to co-operative societies. Twenty-five per cent. 



