month I V BULLETIN. 213 



the latter arrives lie tears off the transportation end of the card leaving 

 the order portion of the card with the farmer. At the end of the week 

 the farmer sends his order cards to the posl office where they are checked 

 over and confirmed and the money is remitted to the farmer and the 

 transactions for the week are elosed. 



The experiments were conducted uninterruptedly for :!•' days and 

 until June 17. 1916. During this time 41 producers and 99 consumers 

 look pari in the experiment and 460 transactions were made. The 

 people generally, according to the report, were very willing and anxious 

 to give the plan a trial. Not only locally but from far distant parts 

 of the state came manj inquiries regarding the plan. An idea of the 

 wa\ the experiment was received is gathered Erona the Hollowing state- 

 ment mad I- by J. 1.. Patterson of Orangevale, which is as follows: 



"I would like very much to sec this direct marketing go into effect, 

 because it gives the small farmers better opportunities and makes it 

 possible lor i he small Earmer to make a good living from small hold- 

 ings because it would enahle him to dispose of the surplus which now 

 goes to waste." The consumer's idea can be gotten from the statement 

 of .Mrs. W. E. Sanford oi Sacramento as Eollo 



"The articles 1 purchased through the direct marketing experiment 

 nrir Ear fresher than I have ever obtained before and are also far 

 cheaper. J hope that congress will not delay action towards bringing 

 ahoul the din.-! marketing under the medium of the parcel post. It 

 is what we house wives have so long dreamed about, and hoped for." 



Thai is about all there is to the story and in closing permit me to say 

 that this subject is worthy of careful study by every human being having 

 bis own or her own welfare in mind, as well as the welfare of his oi- 

 lier particular community and id' the entire nation; for until this prob- 

 lem has been solved, the stability of the nation will not be assured. 



RURAL CREDITS. 



By Dn El/H Mi u>, University of California, Berkeley 



Tin' passage of the farm loan bank act creates a new era in linain ing 

 the farmer. The act grew i lit of the increasing needs of the farmer for 

 money. Farms have to he better equipped, more money is needed to 

 carry them on. It co-is mm' I i grow fruit and other high-priced crops 

 than it used i. > grov wheat. In even way the farm requires 



more money in its operation than it did twenty live years ago. Hut 

 we have just CI me to realize that fact. We have passed a law that. 

 looks alter the interest and business and commercial enterprise which 



enables Earmi rs to gel m j at a reasonable price and on the right 



terms. Hut until the passage of the farm loan act there was no means 

 provided that would help the Earmi c to get money at a reasonable 

 rate of interest or on lone enough time to enable him to pay it back 

 out of tin' earnings of Ids Earm. This act will give the farmer Eorty 

 years' time with the privilege of paying up at any time within five 

 year-. It will enable him to pay it off in uniform yearly payments 

 instead i. f having to pay it oil' in a sinelc large payment, or in a \'r\v 

 Large payments. If, as seems probable, money van be furnished at, 

 o per cent, then the addition of the paymenl of 1 per cent on the 



