150 Report of Farmers' Institutes 



department was testing out various parcel post containers. These 

 eggs were in good demand, and we paid for them several cents 

 above the prevailing market price, and yet were able to furnish 

 them to our members at something less than the prices charged 

 for the same kind by the best dealers. 



By personal visits and inspection we got in touch with various 

 nearby poultry farms, which contracted to furnish a certain 

 number of dozen eggs per week. To these farms we paid more 

 than they could get from any other source. And yet, because we 

 could minimize the cost of distribution to our members, we were 

 able to furnish the eggs to them for somewhat less than they 

 would have to pay for the same product elsewhere. 



The eggs were to be graded as to size (we had educated our 

 members out of their prejudices in- regard to color), were to be 

 strictly fresh, and infertile. With the growth of our membership, 

 and the excellence of the products which we furnished, there was 

 a natural growth in demand. 



The poultry producers who supplied the eggs, speaking plainly, 

 did not play fair. Instead of' furnishing us with just such eggs 

 as they could guarantee, leaving us to seek elsewhere to keep up 

 with the additional demands, they went out into the hedges, the 

 highways, and byways, and gathered in all the eggs that they 

 could, with the idea that they could dump them on us at the 

 advanced price which we were paying. About two deliveries of 

 such eggs practically killed the whole business, and we had to 

 begin at the bottom and work up another plan, which was ex- 

 pensive and rather trying. That was to have each individual who 

 furnished eggs send them in a special carton, which we furnished, 

 and in which his name or number was written. Then, if there 

 was any question about the quality of the eggs, they were thrown 

 back on the individual who was responsible, and this made a good 

 deal of trouble. These same nearby farmers wished us to sell 

 butter. They had no notion of putting it up in attractive or uni- 

 form packages. In our effort to help the farmers' end we sus- 

 tained some losses, and had to make ourselves parties to a practice 

 in which we did not particularly believe. Most of the butter 

 which we received "from farmers was not good, and we were for- 

 tunate to get 20 cents a pound for it from the makers of the 

 renovated product. 



