REPORT OF BUREAU OF MARKETING AND SUPPUES. I3I 



all went out of the state where it is mudi needed, as the banks 

 have not sufficient money to finance the farm. It has been said 

 th'at the banks were loth to furnish the farmer with funds, but 

 the experience of the department is that the banks will loan the 

 farmer under proper conditions. However, it must be plain to 

 all that our credit system is extremely bad for the prosperity 

 of the farm and it would appear that our legislators, both state 

 and national, are far behind other countries in establishing^ 

 rural banks through whic'h the farmer can secure sufficient 

 capital to properly finance 'his farm operations. The Bureau 

 of Marketing and Supplies would strongly recommend that if 

 Congress does not establish a rural banking system our state 

 legislature act at its next session. 



The department's plan of organizing extends far beyond our 

 state line. First, the foundation is laid at the farm. The farmer 

 is in control at the loading station, he controls the state central 

 body, and when the other states have established state central 

 bodies and made their organization state-wide, the farmer will 

 be in control of the organization work in every marketing cen- 

 ter in the country. 



Our state covers a large territory, and I find it difficult to 

 respond to al'l the calls for my services and take care of the 

 office work. We now have thirty-three local exchanges, a 

 state central body and a state supply house through which the 

 local exchanges purchase their supplies. A number of these are 

 prospering, while some of them are not active and these need 

 considerable attention. It would be good judgment to stop 

 organizing new exchanges for a time, but as the department is 

 for all farming Maine, it would not appear to be good judg- 

 ment to refuse to organize in sections where we are requested 

 so to do. Every local exchange organized since April i, 

 1913, has been organized by request. The Bureau of Market- 

 ing and Supplies is not endeavoring to extend the territory al- 

 ready occupied, but rather seeking to enlarge and put into active 

 operation every exchange now in the field. The bureau has ap- 

 pointed selling agents in Boston, Worcester and New York, 

 secured credit for the farmers through the banks, contracted for 

 the farmers' supply of fertilizer, poisons and small seeds, es- 

 tat)lished a central supply house, assisted in bringing about the 

 building of potato houses and grist mills, educated along the 



