Poultry Meeting at Columbia. 441 



Co-operation. — Co-operation changed their poverty to a 

 considerable extent. By its means the farmers were united. 

 Each farmer with his one, two or three cows and his few chick- 

 ens, often all being under the same roof, was now enabled by 

 united effort with his neighbors to do their marketing together. 

 By thus pooling their products and living up to certain rules 

 unprecedented success was the result. At present there are 

 over 550 egg circles which were afifiliated into a central organiza- 

 tion in 1895. This organization now embraces over 40,000 

 farmers. The great bulk of their products are shipped to the 

 British market. The eggs are graded by weight and color 

 and top the British market even over the native eggs. The 

 keynote of the Danish success is "uniformity." How to adapt 

 these egg circles to American conditions was a problem. Here 

 we have our farmers in a different position — they possess good 

 farms, money, and above all, sturdy, even obstinate, inde- 

 pendence. To induce them to join together in co-operation 

 is a serious undertaking. 



Realizing these things, the Ontario agricultural experts 

 approached the new situation with careful consideration. 



The Egg Circle Movement in Ontario. — In 1909 the county 

 of Ontario was selected in which to start operations. This 

 county borders on Lake Ontario and extends back a considerable 

 distance. It thus has a diversified agriculture. Each district 

 in the county was carefully investigated and the opinions of 

 the farmers sounded. Then the district which offered the 

 most favorable conditions was selected. Next a further canvass 

 from farm to farm was made and interest aroused. A meeting 

 was held. Nothing was left to chance and nominations were 

 arranged beforehand. Experts were present who spoke, and 

 it was decided at the meeting to organize an egg circle. Seven 

 directors were appointed, four being appointed for a term of 

 two years and three for one year. These directors elected 

 among themselves a president, vice-president and secretary. 

 Dues were fixed at thirty cents and annual fees at twenty-five 

 cents. A manager was appointed, rubber stamps bought and 

 one given to each member. The dues barely paid for the 

 stamps, etc. 



Duties of the Manager. — The manager was required to go 

 out on a regular route each week and collect the eggs, repack 

 and take them to the railway station, ship the eggs and disburse 

 all money received. His commission varied from one to two 

 cents a dozen, depending on the season. He deducted his 



