206 CHAPTERS IN RURAL PROGRESS 



yield their largest possibilities in agriculture is 

 a problem of the greatest scientific and industrial 

 interest, and it is the problem that New England 

 agriculture has to face. In this connection 

 comes also the need of special varieties adapted 

 not only to the market but to the soil and climate. 



This principle of adaptation is the industrial 

 key to future agricultural development in New 

 England. But to achieve this adaptation, to 

 make the key work, there is needed the force 

 of social organization. The farmer must be 

 reached before the farm can be improved. The 

 man who treads the furrow is a greater factor 

 than nitrogen or potash. How is this man to 

 be reached, inspired, instructed? Largely by 

 some form of organization. The second and 

 greater need therefore is co-operation. 



Co-operation means faith in agriculture — 

 a faith too seldom found in the Israel of 

 New England's yeomanry. Co-operation means 

 ideals — ideals of rural possibilities too seldom 

 dreamed of in the philosophy of the Yankee 

 farmer. Co-operation means power — power that 

 cannot be acquired by the lone man, not even 

 by the resolute individualism so dominant in 

 New England character. 



There are three forms of co-operation, all of 



