294 ELEMENTS OF FARM PRACTICE 



best. The farmer, in selling his products and in buying his 

 supplies, usually deals with large concerns; consequently 

 he very often gets the worst of the bargain. This result is 

 but natural, for the business of the average farmer amounts 

 to but very little to the buyer of stock or grain, and, while 

 the sale may mean a great deal to the farmer, it means 

 very little to the buyer. Likewise, a dealer selling machin- 

 ery, lumber or other supplies does not care a great deal 

 about the business of one farmer, but the farmer is often 

 under the necessity of buying of that particular dealer. 

 In such cases it is quite evident that the farmer is at a 

 disadvantage. 



Advantages of Co-operation. — If, however, several farm- 

 ers unite and offer for sale a large amount of grain, stock, 

 or other products, there is business enough represented in 

 handhng this product to attract several buyers, and, as a 

 consequence, a better price is obtained. Likewise, if a 

 number of farmers find that they need among them several 

 machines of different kinds (probably a few thousand dollars' 

 worth) and they go to a dealer to buy, he is anxious to get 

 the large order and will make some reduction in price in 

 order to get it. Such combination of interests tends to 

 equaUze the strength on the two sides of the bargain, and, 

 as a consequence, to equalize the benefits of the trade. 



Co-operative Production. — Not only can farmers get 

 better prices for the same product by seUing in large quanti- 

 ties, but they can also offer, by working together, products 

 that are worth much more. For example, if several farmers 

 are raising horses, they can get better prices for them, if 

 they all raise horses of the same type and breed. It is 

 easier in such a case for a purchaser to get a matched team, 

 and where several horses can be bought in one neighborhood, 

 a buyer can afford to pay a better price for them than he 

 could if he had to search several neighborhoods, because he 

 is saved the time and expense of searching. 



There are great possibilities for farmers to benefit them- 

 selves materially by closer co-operation in many of their 

 farming and business enterprises. Several farmers working 

 together greatly increase their own strength and resources, 

 and better equip themselves to meet existing conditions. 



