124 AGRICULl'URE OF MAINE. 



exchanges were notified that the Farmers Union would find a 

 market for their potatoes and other products. The management 

 fully realized the unpreparedness of the locals to ship as an 

 organization, for the reason that they were lacking in managers 

 and had no houses through which to load their stock. However, 

 there was no other way out of the dilemma except to demon.- 

 strate that the organization could successfully market the 

 product. 



From October ist to April ist, two hundred and fifty cars 

 of potatoes, three cars of apples and two cars of hay were 

 successfully marketed with the exception of about eight cars. 

 Four of these cars were frosted on account of the inadequacy 

 of the heaters furnished by the railroads. A loss was brought 

 about on the other four cars because of bad loading. Seventy- 

 five per cent of the cars shipped were loaded by individual 

 stockholders without supervision. These loaders were men 

 without previous experience, either in loading or shipping, 

 therefore they are to be congratulated that only four cars were 

 rejected because of bad loading. 



All products were sold at a price before the car left the load- 

 ing station. These cars were shipped as directed by the man- 

 ager of the Farmers Union of Maine, direct to the dealer in the 

 city, with draft attached. The draft was paid to the bank 

 tfirough which it was drawn and the proceeds returned direct 

 to the loader. At the end of the month the loader or the ex- 

 change paid the Farmers Union of Maine one and one-half 

 cents per bushel, for each bushel sold. One cent of this was 

 used to pay the agent in the city and the remainder was trans- 

 ferred to the treasurer of the Farmers Union of Maine. This 

 method met with the hearty approval of the stockholders, for 

 every dollar the product was sold for went through the hands 

 of the owners of the stock and then they paid for the ser- 

 vices rendered. This was a great improvement over the 

 methods of the past, and one that will be greatly appreciated as 

 the plan becomes perfected. 



For years the farmer has furnished the capital with which 

 the commission man conducted his business and was obliged to 

 accept the returns made, without knowing whetber or not he 

 was receiving his portion of the profits. 



