84 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



Idaho, in Florida and among the truck and small fruit growers 

 of the South Atlantic coast. 



Just now there is great fumbling around in search of the suc- 

 cessful method of bringing the consumer and producer closer 

 together. Secretary Wilson's suggestion that city purchasing 

 clubs be formed to buy direct of the producer is being acted 

 upon in an experimental way. Mayor Shank's plan of buying 

 potatoes for Indianapolis in his individual capacity is only what 

 German cities are doing in their corporate capacity, — selling to 

 the poor at cost. Responsible producing clubs, organized say by 

 the grange or by responsible bodies, who arrange for suitable 

 grading of products, should deal direct with responsible pur- 

 chasing clubs of our cities. This seems to be at present the 

 most hopeful plan. The committee on co-operation of the New 

 Hampshire State Grange is proposing to raise an ample capital 

 to buy direct of manufacturers, importers and wholesalers. It 

 is hoped to deal directly with an agent of each subordinate 

 grange. Such an agent can collect the orders on grange even- 

 ings and distribute goods arriving, without the cost of the ma- 

 chinery that must be purposely organized by the trade. A state 

 grange obviously can handle millions yearly without the costs of 

 the equipment of the trade. In fact, the equipment is practically 

 at hand and the trade also assured if initial success can be se- 

 cured. Efforts in this direction have failed heretofore from 

 lack of capital and the indisposition to pay fair salaries to 

 agents. We face the possibility of failure in New Hampshire 

 on this ground. 



This may seem discursive and an avoidance of the task as- 

 signed me, to set forth some method of reaching more directly 

 the consumer of dairy products. But the general data hurried- 

 ly and very imperfectly covered embrace the difficulties to be 

 met in handling these products in part and only in part. 



City people now demand that goods be delivered to their 

 homes by the pound. Commission merchants handle butter for 

 from one to two cents per pound. Can we get butter to the con- 

 sumer cheaper than by present methods? I do not see a heavy 

 margin of gain by any other method unless by direct shipment 

 from the country to a consumers' club in such quantity as to 

 secure low rates in transportation. The parcel post to come will 

 not help us to economy in this direction, as its rates are too high. 



