22 CANADA - CO-OPERATION AND ASSOCIATION 



flockmasters of Manitoba — estimated at over a thousand — was marketed 

 through it in 1916. Careful breeding, attention to the health of the flock, 

 and care and cleanliness in handling the wool, might increase the price paid 

 for Manitoba wool by fully 5 cents a pound. 



Prince Edward Island. — The co-operative grading and selUng of wool 

 was attempted for the first time in Prince Edward Island in 19x5. Fifty 

 farmers delivered 5,500 pounds of wool which were ver>^ satisfactorily sold. 

 The work was in this year undertaken rather late, but after the harvest 

 there were constituted in the west of the island societies for the co-operative 

 sale of wool and lambs and for community breeding. In other parts of 

 the island the farmers' institutes and the breeding associations became 

 busy over the same problem. Efforts are being made to combine all local 

 societies under the Sheep Breeders' Association, thus placing all the work 

 on the producers. During the wdnter a representative of the Federal Live 

 Stock Branch gave a number of demonstrations on boxing fleeces, and 

 pointed out how wool might be increased in value by proper care during 

 the winter. This department agreed to do the grading in 1916 as in the 

 previous year, and stations for receiving the wool were opened at Summer- 

 side and Charlottetown. 



The chief obstacle to progress seems to be the time farmers have to 

 wait for payment, for they used to sell the wool directly to merchants for 

 cash. One of the bankers has however agreed to help the associations. 



In 1916, 369 farmers took advantage of the organization. Altogether 

 28,302 pounds of wool or 4,411 fleeces were sold, for a total price of 

 % 10,949.47. The prices of the different grades varied from 43 cents a 

 pound for medium clothing to 10 cents a pound for tags. 



Province of Quebec. — The Wool Growers' and Sheep Breeders' Asso- 

 ciations in Quebec have again successful^ graded and marketed their wool. 

 In order to facilitate the work and improve the quality of the product 

 instructors have gone through the province and explained to the farmers the 

 rules they must follow in preparing their wool for sale, shearing etc. : 



Six hundred and forty-seven new members have been added since 



1915 to the associations ; a new association has been formed in Megantic 

 count}^ and the total output of wool was 169,839 pounds in 1916, showing 

 an increase of 65,647 pounds as compared with 1915. The wool was sold in 



1916 for S 71,092.70. Medium and fine medium combing grades sold at 

 43 cents a pound, black and gray and rejects at 38 cents. The average 

 price for all grades, including rejects, was 41.8 cents a pound. These 

 prices were all F. O. B. at the despatching points. Since local prices for 

 ungraded wool ranged from 31 to 35 cents a pound, a gain of 7 to 12 cents a 

 pound, or 40 per cent., had been secured. 



The associations are on a f)urely co-operative basis. The membership 

 fees are based on the amount of business which each member does with the 

 association. Four cents a fleece has been found to be sufficient to cover 

 all expenses. 



The results obtained have been an improvement in the quality of the 

 wool and in its preparation for sale, and its marketing at higher prices. 



