128 AN AGRICULTURAL FAGGOT. 



of agricultural production. It should aim at enlisting 

 the co-operation of, and federating so far as possible, 

 any local enterprises (and they are numerous throughout 

 the country) established on co-operative lines — such as 

 butter and cheese factories, bacon factories, abattoirs, 

 etc. It should be as far as possible an association of 

 producers, and the benefits should — whether by bonuses 

 or dividends or increased prices — go primarily to the 

 producers. It follows that the producers should form, at 

 any rate, a large proportion of the shareholders. It should 

 endeavour to collect produce at local centres and to send 

 it in large quantities to the great markets, so as to save 

 cost of carriage. I have already mentioned that the 

 Irish Co-operative Agency act as salesmen for their 

 creameries, charging 2\ per cent, commission. The same 

 kind of work might be done in this country, but it must 

 be supplemented by providing an outlet for all the produce 

 of its shareholders and by endeavouring to sell as much 

 as possible direct to consumers. These are one or two 

 of the principles on which such a scheme might be 

 worked. But, above all, for its success it requires the 

 cordial assistance of those primarily interested. Without 

 this it is impossible, but with this it seems to me that 

 something may be accomplished to lessen the wide 

 distance which separates the farmers in many districts 

 from those great centres of population where their produce 

 may most advantageously be sold. If this be so, British 

 agriculture may well be benefited by an application of 

 those sound principles of combination and organisation 

 which are properly involved in the word co-operation. 



