No 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 461 



and the practical part has partially been neglected. Organizations 

 of this kind are designed to further their interests and particularly 

 bring the producer and consumer, tlie farmer and manufacturer into 

 direct commercial relations without the- intervention of the middle- 

 men. 



Nearly all industries have established organizations for the better- 

 ment of their interests, even in the conservative County of Lancaster. 

 We have two agricultural clubs that have been in existence for many 

 years: namely, the "Octoraro Farmers'' and the "Fulton Farm 

 Club," I have read the report of these meetings when the writer was 

 a mere bo}'. Then came the Lancaster County Agricultural Society, 

 this was folloAved by the Grange, and more than a half dozen simi- 

 lar organizations pertaining to farm life, all doing work along their 

 respective lines. But their advancement has been chiefly social in- 

 stead of dealing with the more practical side of their occupation. 



The question which confronts most of us is, How can we com])ine 

 the two with better advantage to the majority of persons interested? 



The two chief interests confronting the farmer today are more 

 economical production, and better distribution of marketing. 



Too many of the crops on the farm are produced at an actual 

 loss, or probably just sufliciont profit to maintain the industry. 

 Following this is the finding of the best markets for the products, 

 too often there are instances where some markets are glutted at the 

 expense of other poorly furnished ones. 



These are the two chief interests that have been neglected in most 

 farm organizations, except a few large companies who have tried 

 to solve the problem with some degree of success, but often being too 

 large, and beyond the control of the producer and consumer alike. 



The State and ISi^ational Grange have done mucli good in general, 

 but in our county it has been a dismal failure, few persons knowing 

 there is one in existence. About twenty years ago there was a local 

 Grange in our community, but it long since has gone the Avay of 

 many other good organizations for want of actual effort. The 

 social side was a glowing success, but the business and financial part 

 was sadly neglected, thus the re-sult mentioned. 



Now how" best to overcome these serious failures is the question 

 to solve. The very nature of the farmers' calling should induce 

 him to organize locally for the purpose of selling the crops he pro- 

 duces, and buying the articles he must have in his business, and to 

 learn to deal more direct with the consumer and producer; thus 

 to eliminate to a certain extent the middlemen who have been a very 

 costly adjunct in the business life of the American Farmer. 



The farmer of the future must be more of a reader and thinker 

 for his own benefit. The more direct he deals with the consumer 

 and ])roducer the more intelligence he must put in his business. 



After having produced a valuable crop, it requires some business 

 and executive ability to put his products before the purchaser in 

 the most attractive appearance with a profit to himself, as well as 

 a reasonable price to the consumer. Not forgetting the fact tliat a 

 I»leased and satisfied customer is the best "ad" in any line of business 

 and much cheaper, and more durable than ])rinters' ink. The time 

 has never existed when there was an over-production of a good, 



