112 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Now this subject of co-operation which your president saw 

 fit to assign me is as old as the hills and has been threshed and 

 rethreshed until it would seem there is nothing new to be said. 

 However. I may be able to present the arguments in a little 

 different light and thus contribute in a degree to the general 

 problem before you. It is said that "Constant dropping of water 

 will wear a stone away," and constant repetition of the advan- 

 tages of co-operation may finally bring the desired results. You 

 will all agree that this is pre-eminently an age of associated 

 effort. Those business enterprises which have gained the great- 

 est success are those where associated effort has been most care- 

 fully directed and developed. You will find co-operation in all 

 avenues of trade and no business enterprise gets very far with- 

 out it. whether it be a matter of running the government of the 

 United States or the successful making of a model home where 

 each member of the family has his part to do and gives up cer- 

 tain things for the good of others, which in turn will reflect 

 to his ultimate advantage. 



Granting then that associated effort is essential, how can it 

 best be applied to agriculture? There are various ways, 

 depending upon the practical objects sought. There are any 

 number of co-operative enterprises conducted by farmers 

 throughout the country. There are grain elevators, grange 

 stores, grange banks, creameries, milk producers' associations, 

 vegetable growers' associations, fruit growers' exchanges, cow 

 testing associations, live stock breeders' associations, etc. 

 Without exception decided advantages are secured by all these 

 organizations. It is an inspiring thought that once a group of 

 farmers has tasted the advantages of true co-operation they will 

 not give it up for any price. Instead, they go on improving 

 their societies and making them more and more efficient. Has 

 it not been so in Denmark where co-operation among the peas- 

 ants has grown in such a remarkable way? Is it not true in 

 the west, the south, and even here in New England? The 

 trouble with us in New England is, we seem to be content with 

 picking up the few crumbs that fall from the table rather than 

 sitting up and enjoying a full meal. This is especially true 

 along horticultural lines and in my opinion it is about time we 

 had a square co-operative meal. Day after day, and year after 

 year, we read of the successful operations of co-operative asso- 



