MICHIGAN STATE GRANGE. 509 



"1. Tbat of patron dcalinj;' with ])a(i'Oii in the state and in (liUcrcnt 

 states. 



"II. Selling profitably. 



"So far onr Gran£»e co-operative efforts have been concentrated on the 

 question of 'buying- profitably.' Sellinii' profitably is the more inij)ortant 

 question. The following illustration will show its inij)or(ance : Ajtpies 

 were put on board cars in naniburg;. Mich., which netted the farmer 

 twenty cents per one hundred pounds. They should have netted him 

 forty or fifty cents a bushel. A patron from the northern ])art of the 

 state said that he netted sixty-five cents per bushel for choice apples. 



"Early in the year it was found that there was a scarcity of clover 

 seed. The bureau after consulting with your acting chairman, made 

 arrangements with a large and I'eliable seed firm to furnisli a strictly 

 No. 1 seed at a price ranging from fifty cents to a dollar per bushel under 

 the prevailing market price. Unfortunately the opening of the bureau 

 was so late in the season that many Granges had purchased their seed. 

 However over $2,000 worth of seed was purchased under this arrange- 

 ment. Nearly one hundred Granges took advantage of the opportunity, 

 and, without a single exception, with entire satisfaction. In fact, the 

 seed obtained was of much better quality than that being sold in our 

 retail markets at a much higher price. Sami»les of seed were received 

 from dealers in various parts of the state, taken to the college, and 

 tested. The seed purchased through the medium of the bureau received 

 the highest test, both as regards cleanness and germination. The germ- 

 ination test revealed that in most instances the seed was actually worth 

 from one to two dollars per bushel more than the seed sold by the deal- 

 ers. Hence, it is apparent that the saving to the members in buying 

 strictly first-class seed was probably even greater than the saving of 

 the actual difference in price. 



"A little later in the season it developed that good seed corn was a 

 scarce article. The bureau sought iuformation from members of enrolled 

 Granges and others, and succeeded in getting a large portion of the seed 

 corn offered for sale tested for germination, and thus assisted many 

 members to obtain seed that Avould grow, saving them the necessity of 

 replanting. The bureau also assisted members having good seed to 

 dispose of it at reasonable prices. Here at least is an instance of patron 

 dealing with patron that j^roved valuable to both. 



"Just how many cedar posts have been purchased by the various 

 Granges, I have no means of knowing. Fifty or more carloads at a sav- 

 ing of from twenty to fifty dollars per car would seem to be a very con- 

 servative estimate. 



"Many other satisfactory transactions have been reported." 



Another recently founded department is that of Grange supervision. 

 This is to strengthen all lines of work by the systematic visiting of local 

 points by well drilled deputies. The results have been very satisfying 

 and the plan is being carried on this year Avith special emphasis upon 

 the lecture hour and esoteric work of the order. 



In the affairs of State, the Granges have notably advocated the pas- 

 sage of a direct nominating law and, in national matters, the State 

 Grange has continued to co-operate with the National Grange for the 

 securing of: 



"The adoption of a postal savings bank system. 



72 



