88 THE COUNTY AGENT'S SERVICES 



out of poor service either by wholesalers or local dealers 

 or both. In spite of this fact, the organization of co- 

 operative buying associations has been the occasion of 

 much trouble and criticism of county agents without, in 

 most cases, corresponding results to farmers. In a good 

 many instances too many county agents have pooled 

 orders themselves. This practice got started during the 

 war on account of the lack of service and the demand for 

 good seed, cheaper supplies, etc. Because they were inex- 

 perienced, because in most cases they did not have the 

 machinery or facilities to properly handle such business, 

 because of bad payments and of goods not always of su- 

 perior quality, the county agents have experienced lots 

 of work and a great deal of trouble. The general result 

 has been that they have accumulated a large amount of 

 kicks from everybody who had any grievances, and had 

 few thanks for their trouble from those who were really 

 advantaged. 



Some of the dangers of buying are illustrated by the 

 experience of a county agent in Tennessee, who, when 

 sugar was high and apparently going higher, persuaded 

 many members of the local farm bureau to pool their 

 orders for a quantity. Some delay was experienced in get- 

 ting the sugar and when it did arrive sugar had dropped 

 nearly fifty per cent. Many farmers refused to accept 

 delivery, and those who did did so under protest. The 

 county agent was in a bad fix but deserved small sym- 

 pathy. While this is an extreme case, it illustrates possi- 

 bilities. 



The relations which a county agent or a farm bureau 

 for that matter should have with commercial cooperative 

 buying organizations are not unlike those recommended for 

 cooperative selling. The functions of the county agent, 

 and of the farm bureau as well, in such a relationship 



