THE RURAL, NEW-YORKER 
] 913 . 
a7 
AGRICULTURAL CREDIT SOCIETIES IN 
ENGLAND. 
The Agricultural Organization Society of England 
loan is required, the term for which it is asked, 
whether it is desired to repay the loan by instalments; 
the sureties who will sign with him any agreement or 
has issued what may be described as model rules for promissory note, or the other security which is 
the use of those desiring to form credit societies. 
One of these societies is therein described as follows: 
“Loans to members shall only be made on condition 
that the purpose for which money is borrowed is, in 
the opinion of the committee, such that there is a 
sufficient prospect of the loan repaying itself by the 
production, business or economy it will enable the 
borrowed to effect,” from which it may be gathered 
that no advance would be made to pay debts or any 
offered.” If the committee is satisfied with the trust¬ 
worthiness of .the applicant, the sufficiency of the 
security offered, the profitableness by productiveness 
or saving which the use of the loan may effect, they 
may sanction the loan. From which it will appear 
that any particular loan has to have two sureties to 
back it; when that is taken into consideration, the 
liability of the members is not quite so unlimited 
after all. For every loan advanced has three men 
A FAMOUS OLD NEW YORK MANSION. Fig. 13. 
purpose from which no direct return is expected. But behind it besides the credit society itself, before it 
it is very evident that money borowed 
for reproductive purposes is likely to 
make money to pay debts. Money is 
not loaned to start enterprises, but only 
to extend those already in existence, and 
whose extension, in the opinion of the 
committee, is fairly certain. The moral 
principle underlying these societies is, 
“I am my brother’s keeper, and as such 
it is my duty and pleasure to help him. 
I am to do all in my power to help 
him and to uplift him, and by so doing 
I shall be helping myself as well.” No 
person applying for a loan from a credit 
society would receive a hearing from 
the committee unles he was well known 
to them, lived amongst them ; no stranger 
er need apply. And his character for 
sobriety, honesty and integrity must be 
such as to commend him to his fellows. 
One very extraordinary fact in con¬ 
nection with this movement is its tre¬ 
mendous success. For most people 
would be inclined to doubt the success 
of any association of men based upon 
the “unlimited liability of its members.” 
But when it is remembered that the 
members are in the position of trustees 
to one another no other form of lia¬ 
bility would meet the case in quite the 
same way. The movement in Germany 
alone has over 3,000 societies, and they 
report that neither member nor creditor 
has lost a cent by them since the estab¬ 
lishment in 1849. The credit societies 
in Great Britain number over 200, and 
also claim similar exemption from losses. 
The maximum sum loaned to any one 
member is limited to about $240. The 
members of these societies have in pro¬ 
portion more to lose than wealthy men 
is quite evident, and for this reason. The 
farm whose value is, say, $1,000 means 
more to the small farmer than the larger 
holding of the bigger farmer, for it 
usually represents a much greater effort. 
The strong man can lift and carry with 
ease a weight which a weak man would 
be crushed under. A small farmer be¬ 
ing ruined would be placed as a farm 
laborer immediately, whereas a large 
and more prosperous farmer would 
very much sooner get another start; 
therefore, the argument against the 
small man not having much to lose is 
really no argument, for if one loses all 
that is all there is in it. When the Titan¬ 
ic went down the humblest third-class 
passenger lost quite as much as the mil¬ 
lionaire. They both lost all in losing 
their lives. Neither could lose more. So 
if there is no better argument brought 
against the credit societies than that the 
liability should be limited, experience 
in their actual working demonstrates 
there is nothing in it. 
Again, another rule reads, “Members 
of committee shall not receive a salary 
or other remuneration.” Whether men in America will be a total loss. That these societies have been 
would be prepared to do this for their societies is of value in helping what may be described as the 
perhaps an open question; it has not yet been tried, helpless is beyond any doubt. Their success proves 
But when the basis of these societies is considered, that. What he farmer is prepared to do for himself 
that they are organized for self-help, there is no in this direction, seems to be the only method that will 
room for money making within their borders. The be of value to himself and his neighbor. e. t. 
moment the question of “What do I get?” occurs the 
other question of “What do I give?” disappears. 
These societies have to be registered, and have to 
adopt rules satisfactory to the registrar; have to keep 
A RED POLL-TLIE DUAL-PURPOSE COW. Fig. 13. 
A COLD CRADLE AND A WATCFIFUL MOTHER. Fig. 14. 
A “VERTICAL DRAINAGE SYSTEM.” 
Do you know anything about the “vertical drainage 
system?” If such a system will do -as they say. it will 
be a great boon to New York State farmers. It seems to 
their accounts in a certain way; have to furnish the | ne it: mi £ ht take care of surface water, draining it to a 
/-» „ . /-i • n • . , - , lower level, but in the Spring when the pond is full of 
uovernment Chief Registrar an annual return ot the water it seems more doubtful. How do you know how 
transactions properly audited by an accredited auditor. 
With further reference to loans, the following rule would like your opinion and that of farmers and engineers 
i.- i i i • . . . . " , "ho have used it. j. u. r. vekplanck. 
may be cited . Members who desire to obtain a loan New York. 
shall hll up a form stating the object for which the The advertisement of “vertical drainage” shows a 
deep “well” of tile going down through the soil to a 
stratum of gravel from a small pit or depression at 
the top. As we understand it the theory is to run the 
water into this upper pit and let it run away through 
the tile and into the gravel. Among other things the 
advertisement states: 
“It will save you digging long’ ditches and paying for 
hundreds of feet of tiling if you have a large amount 
or wet land and more, proportionately, on small areas 
needing drainage. This system is the best for any kind 
ot land, but is the only way to drain saucer ponds and 
depressions where the land is very level. It saves big 
ditches on uneven land. This system will work where no 
system can operate. It is the only system that is 
to ^eze aSdbrelk up ” 6 U has uo surface outlet 
e seen—several cases where such a vertical 
uiainage system gave fairly satisfactory results, but it 
does not seem possible that it would op¬ 
erate well under all conditions. The 
following comments are by T. E. Martin, 
well known in New York as a drainage 
expert: 
“Vertical drainage will reduce your 
drainage bills at least 60%.” “This sys¬ 
tem is the best for any kind of land, but 
is the only way to drain saucer ponds 
and depressions where the land is very 
level. It saves big ditches on uneven 
land. This system will work where no 
other system can operate. It is the only 
system that is active twelve months in 
the year. It has no surface outlets to 
freeze and break up.” The writer has 
had some experience, professionally and 
otherwise, with drainage propositions. 
Regarding vertical drainage, many of 
the statements are so untrue and decep¬ 
tive that they are reminders of the ri¬ 
diculous. Where thorough and syste¬ 
matic drainage is required, say for lat¬ 
erals 75 feet apart, vertical drainage out¬ 
lets would be necessary at every 75 feet 
square intersection, making 7M outlets 
per acre. Even at only a few dollars 
each the total cost per acre would quick¬ 
ly exceed the expense of standard 
horse power ditching. If laterals and 
mains are also necessary to carry the 
surplus water to the vertical outlets, 
wherein does this combination compete 
or reduce the cost 60% ? An analysis of 
the facts appear to reveal an increase of 
that amount rather than a like reduc¬ 
tion. This coupled with the more than 
mere possibility of the plan going wrong 
puts the scheme in a rather unfavorable 
light. Then, too, in Eastern United 
States are thousands of square miles 
which are underlaid with an imper¬ 
vious hard-pan subsoil and rock. Oc¬ 
casionally the value of aeration to hard- 
pan subsoils exceeds the benefit derived 
by the removal of surplus water from 
other soils. Flow about vertical drain¬ 
age for these and similar conditions? 
Standard lateral drainage accomplishes 
both, without a single exception. 
Vertical drainage is generations old. 
As a general proposition it is applicable 
only now and then, perhaps but once in 
one hundred instances. Moreover under 
certain conditions, vertical drainage into 
water-bearing soil strata, would work 
out precisely the reverse, that is, instead 
of removing surplus water it would dis¬ 
charge it into and onto the soil. 
Where long open ditches, mains, deep 
cuts and light grades do not justify the 
cost and only where an acceptable com¬ 
bination of favorable soil conditions 
exist, simple and elaborate drain systems 
have been developed, with outlets into 
coarse gravel strata and above a con¬ 
stant known water level. If this is the 
best solution a problem offers then such a hidden outlet 
is temporarily acceptable. But such invisible outlets are 
never recommended, designed or executed except as a 
last resort. As a rule these favorable conditions exist 
only on small limited and especially favorable areas, 
a rarity, conspicuous for the absence of such in east¬ 
ern United States. 
A visible gravity outlet ever has been, is now and 
probably always will be preferable to an invisible one, 
even though the former is subject to the elements of 
disintergation arising from freezing and thawing. A 
concrete abutment under and around a screened vitri¬ 
fied pipe outlet corrects this defect, maintains stability 
and prevents water loving and explorating animals 
from entering and making it difficult to keep a clear 
Outlet. T. E. MARTIN. 
