70 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



in Philadelphia (it having fallen to two cents per quart de- 

 livered), that they met, and formed a dairy association, with 

 a capital of four thousand dollars, and built a creamery of 

 the most approved form. We do not at this time propose to 

 enter into a discussion of the merits of co-operative cheese 

 and butter making, which has resulted in the establishment 

 of a large number of factories all over the country, and has 

 added so much to the wealth of the farming community, but 

 shall confine our atttention more particularly to the milk 

 question. 



A law passed by our last Legislature provides that all rail- 

 road corporations shall furnish the same facilities to a farmer 

 wishing to send one can of milk as to persons sending larger 

 quantities ; so that, at the present time, the producer is not 

 at the mercy of the contractor to take whatsoever price may 

 be offered, if he will only put himself in direct communication 

 with the consumer, and take the responsibility of sending his 

 own milk to market. 



The economy of co-operation commends itself. One man, 

 one horse, and one wagon, may take the milk of a dozen, or 

 perhaps of a less number of producers, to the railroad depot, 

 or deliver it, when possible, directly at the doors of con- 

 sumers. The outlay of capital is thus borne by all interested 

 in the undertaking, and not by one individual. 



"If farmers understood the business details of their industry, if they 

 had sufficient business discipline to confer with each other, and carefully 

 determine, on commercial principles, what they ought to charge for their 

 products, — having formed such co-operative associations as could execute 

 their united will — they could then fix the prices of all their commodities, 

 and hold them as steadily as they are now held after they get into the 

 hands of commercial dealers. But the difficulty is, that farmers associate 

 so little with each other, have never entered into any rational co-operation, 

 but rather considered each other as competitors to be out-manoeuvred in 

 trade. ... If they understood the situation, they would see that the 

 real interests of farmers are mutual and reciprocal ; that there can be 

 no natural antagonism between them. 



" Until they are educated in common business principles, and can see 

 the identity and mutuality of their interests, and form associations to 

 direct in the disposal of their great staple crops, their interests will be 

 traded upon, without consulting them, by the whole middlemen class. 



"We do not condemn the middlemen. They merely act for them- 

 selves, — buy the best they can, and sell the same. They form commer- 

 cial alliances and boards of trade, and strengthen themselves in the most 



