188 BIOLOGICAL PROBLEMS 



through, such as grading and bulking for transport, 

 and these can be done co-operatively, and form one 

 of the simplest and most hopeful fields for a new co- 

 operative society to take up. I have already referred 

 to the importance of grading and to the way in which 

 it raises the value of a crop. Bulking for transport 

 is another important function of a co-operative society. 

 As you know, railway companies quote lower rates 

 for large quantities, the usual unit being a truck-load, 

 and one of the great advantages of a co-operative 

 society is that the produce of a number of members 

 can be collected, graded, packed and bulked so as to 

 make up complete truck-loads. 



Then we come to the actual marketing of the 

 produce. First of all we have to consider the accessi- 

 bility of markets and the kind of market that is to be 

 sought. There is often a choice of markets, some of 

 which offer one advantage and some another. Then 

 we have to consider whether we are going to dispose 

 of our produce to a wholesaler or to a retailer, or, 

 as is possible in some cases, direct to a private con- 

 sumer. Then there is the whole question of transport, 

 on which I have touched: this is largely concerned 

 with rates and bulk. It must never be forgotten in 

 this connection that the middleman who buys from 

 the farmer and sells to the wholesaler or retailer, 

 exorbitant and oppressive though he may occasion- 

 ally be, discharges an important and indispensable 

 function. In most cases he gives good value for the 

 commission or profit he takes. He knows the goods 

 in which he deals, and he knows his markets and 

 transports. If he had not a good knowledge of these 

 things he could not be successful. In nearly all 

 cases an officer of a co-operative society can under- 

 take this work and thus save the middleman's profit 

 to the producer, but if the society is going to per- 



