The chronicle=news., 1913-06-27
COOPERATIVE
FARMING N ITALY

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Miian. Italy. June Members
Of the American Commission on Agri.
cultural Cooperation visited one Of
the model farms OF northern Italy.
II In the property Of the Count di
P0nii.
The estate comprises about 900
acres which II m unusualiy large
holding for Italy. although = member
Of the Commission was able 10 inform,
the Count di Ponii that he owaed =
farm OF 1900 acres in Texas. without
considering himself u curiosity. Ths
farm is divided into two parts. IN ir.
riEaied portion which the proprietor
reserves for his own use for dairy
farming. and a dry portion rented On
the share basis. known In Italy as
the ''mexsardi' system.
The visit of the Amssieans was
made holiday for the lshorsrs and
fam hands although mes were kept
at work TO demonstrate the cooper.
stive enterprises on the farm. Auto
mobiles OF the American party swept
into n farm yard enclosed by = brick
house. the porches of which gave
vivid scene Of drying clothes. ban
ianas: wrinkied old peasant women.
smiling men and u swarm Of curious
|ehiidren. Fourteen families are hired
by the proprietor TO farm his part
|of the estate. Nothing Of inierest
from the cooperative standpoint was
learned on this part Of the farm. The
Commission was therefore taken to
the dry" part where live the ten
ants.
The score Of families which are
engaged In farming this portion oil
the estate live In n little village and
here the members Of the Commission
were given their first view Of the
many possible phAs-a OF agricultural
co-operation. Men. women and chill.
dr-n were lined up along the. iittls
street: hats aud bandanas were
waved In welcome. and he little
children murmured their half fright.
cncd "Gracl' when coppcrs were
slipped into their hands. This part
Of the estate Is divided into holdinEs
of about 30 acres each.
The principal money products Of
the little farms are cheese aud silk
worms. Each farmer raises enough
OF general farm crops to support his
family. hut most of his sttention 10
given to dairyinG and to 1sisinG siik.
worms. The cheese To- made In =
plant comparatively owned BY the
farmers and built with their own
money. Three men were At work
making Swiss cheese at th etime. The
farmers bring their milk to the dairy
where 1t is weighed and marked to
their credit. Accordiag to the
amount OF milk given u the dairy
the farmers receive . percentage OF
the profits derived from the sale Of
the cheese. The waste from the milk
used in the cheese making Ii fed TO
hogs comparatively owned. which
when fattened. are killed in an ab-
bntoir likewise comparatively owned.
for nothing 10 lost on an Italian
farm. There is also = sausage fac
tory. Everything these farmers buy
comes from comparatively owned
store. The warehouse held familiar
TYPES Of American agricultural ma
chinery. The silk worms are turned
over to the proprietor who takes .
certain portion Of the cocoons as his
share. All Of the farming Is done on
q share basis. the proprietor putting
up the buildings. the farmers con-
tributing the labor and the farm pro-
ducts being divided between them. 1t
was plainly evident that the Count
di Ponti was very popular with his
tenants. Some years ago when his
tenants were required to strike be-
cause of a general strike Of all ten
ant farmers In that vicinity. he was
selected by his tenants president OF
the strike committee, 80 that to him
fell the odd task OF settling a strike
against himself.
Undoubtedly the paternalism
which exists in the comparatively
conducted enterprises Of this type
prevents Americans from receiving
many Impressions of practical value
from them. But It made a great i'm
preston upon the delegates, that
farmers of this class could be brought
to such comparative economic inde-
lpendence through the medium OF CO.
'loperation. Above all the extreme
utilization Of everything impress. I'D
the Americans. No trees are cut
down for fuel, for instance. Each
year as many branches are cut off
as are necessary and the next year