126 AN AGRICULTURAL FAGGOT. 



mart themselves, having the advantage of a very energetic 

 secretary in Mr. Pearce, secretary of the Darlington 

 Chamber of Agriculture. They appoint their own 

 auctioneers, taking the commission themselves. During 

 last year, £130,000 was turned over without a single bad 

 debt, and a dividend of 10 per cent, was paid to the 

 shareholders. 



I have already referred incidentally to the paper read, 

 just ten years ago, by the late Mr. H. M. Jenkins. His 

 subject was " Co-operation between Producers and Con- 

 sumers of Meat," and he suggested the formation of 

 a farmers' co-operative society, which was to commence 

 with meat, but should in due course take in other 

 produce. To quote his words : — 



The number and variety of commodities dealt with would 

 continually increase, and would include dairy-fed pork and 

 every other description of dairy produce. In the course of 

 time it is to be hoped (he continued) through such an agency 

 better and more direct markets might be found for cereals, 

 especially for oats, in large towns, as well as for hay and straw, 

 hops, fruit, and vegetables. 



Mr. Jenkins went into detail as to the formation and 

 organisation of such a society. He suggested that 

 everyone proposing to send meat should be compelled 

 to be a shareholder, and also " that a limited number of 

 consumers should be allowed to take shares and to be 

 represented on the board of directors." He proposed 

 to limit the dividend on capital to 5 per cent., and divide 

 surplus profits, if any, among consignors, being of course 

 shareholders, as a bonus of so much money per cwt. 

 sent. 



It may be worth remark that a considerable proportion 

 of farm produce — especially small produce — is now sold 

 direct. Anyone who will go into the market hall of 

 Barnstaple, for instance, will see there precisely the same 

 system which prevails in a market town in Normandy, 

 i.e., the farmer or the farmer's wife or dairy woman 

 selling butter, eggs, cream, vegetables, poultry, rabbits, 



