STUDIES i.\ F.<;<; MARKI .n\<; 793 



are constantly changing suggests the inevitable effect of trying to 



perpetuate a given method for any great length of time. While it 



is important, therefore, to appreciate the merits of the early method 



of egg-marketing as applied to the pioneer conditions through 



which Minnesota passed some decades ago, it is fully as important 



to note the changes in method adopted wherever communities 



successfully readjusted themselves to changed conditions. It 



t study of changes from the early method of egg-market ing 



that the reader's attention is directed in the following section. 



TIIK INDIRECT METHOD OF EGG-MARKETING 



So long as the farmer was able to get all the things he wanted 

 by trading his products at the country store, the early method of 

 egg-marketing proved fairly satisfactory. As soon, however, as 

 he began to want other things than those for sale by the country 

 merehant, he began to realize the limitations of his local market. 

 It tied him clown to the barter method afforded at the country 

 It meant a kind of trading restricted to the wares and 

 - of the country merchant. Only when several local stores 

 were bidding for the farmer's butter and eggs, did the stress of 

 competition tend to increase the exchange value of these products 

 and widen the range of choice open to the farmer. 



The situation was somewhat different when the farmer arranged 

 for the disposal of his fall crop. The i^rain was sold at the local 

 elevator for rash, and the money thus si-aired enabled the farmer 

 . his taxes and . in other transactions involving tin- 



need of general purchasing power. There \\ : un inde- 



pendence of movement acquired through the ownership of r 

 which appealed strongly to the individualistic' temperament of the 

 average farmer. The amount - ihus acquired \\.is very 



limited, however, for the a pioneer. \V1 



available from the Sale \es. inter- 



est on loans, and partial ; indebtedness. As already 



stated, the pressure ot 



durin;.' failure, and it \\.ts tben th.it farmers Came 



ilixe the value and need of other sources of income. 



