86 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



What is wanted now more than anytliing else, perhaps, is practical 

 cooperative selling. The Grange inaugurated practical cooperative 

 buying and it has done, and is doing, a great deal of good. But it 

 has been worked for all it is worth under present circumstances and 

 has bad all the general effect it will have under the present condition 

 of things. In cooperation, when the Grange started as an order, it 

 was the best it could do, or seemed the best it could do, to begin 

 with practical cooperative buying of groceries and farm supplies and 

 implements. It brought exorbitant margins and prices down with 

 a crash. It benefitted the whole farming community whether in or 

 out of the Grange. This cooperative buying should be continued, 

 for it will not do to let up on the grip we have. But above this, 

 with this and beyond this, we want practical cooperative selling. 

 This will give us both ends of the trade, so to express it. " Speed 

 the plow" is well enough, but of what avail to speed the plow whea 

 the increased product only helps by competition to crowd down 

 prices. AVe say speed the plow, and also speed the market cart. 



The best prices for farm products are always obtained when sold 

 direct to consumers. In some sections of our State many farmers, 

 and especially those near our cities, have regular market days in the 

 week when they go to market and carry their produce. They sell at 

 the stores if they can to advantage, if not, they sell at the houses. 

 Some have regular customers and have established regular routes, 

 especially for the sale of milk, of butter, and of vegetables. They 

 get better prices and are surer of quick sales. They prefer this to 

 selling at shops and stores. But this sort of selling must ever be 

 limited to the few. It has drawbacks. Competition comes in here 

 and tends to crowd down prices. Farmers, individually selling, come 

 into competition with each other, and from inexperience, market 

 fluctuations, and want of business tact and ability cut prices so to 

 sell quick and get home ; and the result is a general loss to all pro- 

 ducers. 



It seems to us that cooperation tends to build up and strengthen, 

 and that competition tends to pull down and weaken. Would it not, 

 then, be wisdom to abandon competition and adopt cooperation? 

 We have it in the cheese factory, we have it in the creamery, we 

 have it in the school system, we have it in the support of the poor, 

 we have it in our public road system, we have it in the town, the 

 county and in the unit of the nation. Manufacturers, physicians, 

 lawyers, doctors and teachers cooperate together in class interests. 



