WORK DONE OR PROJECTED 201 



(Salop) Agricultural Co-operative Trading Society and 

 the East Sussex Farmers' Co-operative Society. The 

 Midland Farmers' Co-operative Association published the 

 following in its monthly price list : 



We are prepared to sell members' corn for them at a com- 

 mission of 3^. per quarter. Send on your samples to the manager, 

 with particulars as to the quantities and stations you can deliver 

 at. You may put on a limit to the price you wish him to make, 

 or leave it to his discretion. 



The Newport Society reported that it had done a large 

 business in the sale of grain for members, and that the best 

 prices had been obtained for barley, wheat, oats, etc. On 

 the sales of barley the society had been able to obtain 

 from 2s. to 35. a quarter more than the members themselves 

 would have got. 



In 1909 there was a further steady increase in the number 

 of societies selling grain, hay, seeds, etc., for their members. 

 The A. O. S. report for that year said : 



The first step to starting this business is the appointment 

 of a manager who can devote his whole time to the work of the 

 society, and it is the general experience that when a society 

 appoints an expert manager it is not long before it begins to sell 

 produce as well as to supply requirements. 



The manager of the corn, coal and feeding stuffs 

 department of the Eastern Counties Farmers' Co-operative 

 Association gave, in 1909, the following examples of the 

 advantages gained by members selling through that 

 department : 



A member of our society brought us a sample of blue peas, 

 for which he asked 305. per coomb. We informed him that he 

 was not asking full value, and gave him 335. per coomb. He 

 informed us that a local man had bid him 285., at the same 

 time stating that he was offering more than the market value. 



At Ipswich market, a certain merchant bought sixteen bushels 

 of seed from a farmer at 2os. per bushel. We heard of this, 

 and to find out if the merchant knew the value of the stuff, 

 we bid him 305. per bushel. This he would not accept. Had 

 the farmer been a member of our Association, and brought 

 the seed direct to us, we should have had no hesitation in giving 

 him 355. per bushel. 



