332 AGRICULTURU OF MAINE. 



Now the fanner is not necessarily ignorant or in a rut as it 

 has been charged many times. He is just as bright as the 

 average business man, only in this changed state of the ways 

 of doing business which I have outlined above, he has been at 

 a disadvantage in not possessing up-to-date information as to 

 how it* is done, on account of the fact that he has been a long 

 distance from the centers where these methods have been con- 

 stantly changing, and that he does not have time individually to 

 visit these centers and make a thorough examination. He must 

 attend to the producing business on his own farm. In some 

 sections the producers have recognized this and organized them- 

 selves into an association for the selling of their produce, and 

 have employed men who have had for their business the selling 

 of the particular articles manufactured by the farmer in that 

 community. There are splendid agencies to assist the farmers 

 and none are better than those you have right here in Maine. 

 You have the State Department of Agriculture, the Agricul- 

 tural College with its Extension Service, and the County Dem- 

 onstrators, all willing and eager to help you in solving the prob- 

 lems of your production, and help you in the problems of mar- 

 keting ; but before they can do anything, it is necessary that the 

 farmers take an active interest in the matter themselves. Too 

 long have the farmers said, ''Let the other fellow do it," not 

 realizing that they themselves are the "other fellow." Now the 

 problem is to get these "other fellows" all together, then with 

 the agencies at hand, you may be able to understand how to 

 produce better quality, greater variety, at a less cost, and how to 

 organize for the selling and distribution of produce, which is 

 an absolutely distinct business in itself, as a man who is an 

 expert in producing may not be an expert in selling. 



Again I want to speak of the success of one of your apple 

 selling associations right here in Maine, the Oxford Bears' 

 Association. This Association, in cooperation with. your State 

 Department of Agriculture and Agricultural College, have pro- 

 duced a mighty fine grade of apples. Then by organization 

 and by having a sales manager and having something definite 

 to sell, have marketed to much more advantage than the general 

 producer. The same thing will apply to any other article. 



