TRA^SPORTATIOX AXD MARKETiyC, 283 



selling agency for the local associations with a prior, 

 and under certain conditions, an exclusive right of 

 disposing of their grain, beans and hay. Through its 

 wool pool, the State Farm Bureau sought to counter- 

 act adverse market conditions for this product and in 

 its warehouses, first at Lansing and Grand Eapids 

 and later at many other points throughout the State, 

 collected and held for a better market price more 

 than 3,000,000 pounds of wool during the lirst season 

 of 1920. At the beginning of 1921, a forestry de- 

 partment stood ready to dispose of members' fence- 

 posts, stakes, fire-wood and other wood-lot products, 

 and to supply these to members not locally provided 

 with them. A dairy and sugar-beet department were 

 then contemplated. The officers of the organization 

 were manifestly very ambitious of making the sales 

 service all-comprehensive. 



The farm bureau members were concerned with 

 securing at low prices many commodities vital in 

 their industry and domestic economy ; so in the course 

 of 1920 the reorganized and enlarged purchasing 

 department handled phosphate by the train-load from 

 the South, tile, binder-twine, bags, coal, cement and 

 lime, and many other agricultural necessities. Its 

 dealings were with local cooperative associations and 

 county farm bureaus on a contractual basis. Orders 

 were assembled and forwarded to the Lansing office, 

 which in turn made its purchases in quantity direct 

 from the producers. The traffic department at Gtrand 

 Eapids assisted in the securing of freight ears for 

 shippers, and sought to bring about adjustments of 



