THE BUSINESS SIDE OF FARMING. 241 



Carry this system into other branches of farm production 

 and money will accrue in the same manner. Neighboring 

 farmers can raise pork, beef, or special crops, or unite in the 

 marketing of them. The apple crop of New England, which 

 is now about one-third wasted, should be sold by organiza- 

 tion through a fruit exchange, — as the cotton of the South is 

 sold, or the peach crop of Delaware, — or held in cold storage 

 at convenient points on the railroads. Farmers raise enough 

 on their farms to all grow rich, but how few of them do it ; 

 mainly because they act as individuals in their sales, and not 

 as organizations, as do those of other callings. Is this a 

 showing of business management? 



To look at the purchase side of the question. Every item 

 brought to the farm is bought at the extreme retail price, — 

 fertilizers, grain, implements, dry goods and groceries, all re- 

 quire it. Again, it requires no arithmetical calculation to show 

 that could these articles be purchased in quantity they could 

 be had at wholesale figures, as the merchant secures his. Co- 

 operative purchasing and distributing is largely carried on 

 in many sections by means of organization, to the great 

 advantage of the farmer, and is a strong evidence of his 

 business sagacity. The business of organization, if we may 

 so term it, has been brought to a finer point yet. The 

 wholesale dealer has not only expressed a willingness to sell 

 to co-operative organizations at wholesale rates, but actually 

 agrees to sell to the individual member of the association 

 small lots at regular wholesale rates ; articles need not be 

 ordered in quantity, the trade of the organization being 

 concentrated to this dealer brings laro;e sales in the airsre- 

 gate. 



Organization not only aids the farmer to sell and purchase 

 to more advantage, but is able to open up new outlets for 

 farm production. The cranberry* grower of Cape Cod could 

 not afford to visit Europe to develop the market there, but 

 the American Cranberry Growers' Association can well 

 afford to send out one of its members and open up an 

 immense business, and add a handsome percentage to the 

 price now received. This course is often adopted by manu- 

 facturing associations, to their mutual advantage, by creating 

 a demand for their goods in new sections. 



