198 MARKETING PROBLEMS 



the farmers' doors by the trainload. Obviously, if the 

 farmers want to meet foreign competition such as this, 

 the primary necessity is that they should be able to 

 supply the same produce in equal quantities, and not 

 content themselves with simply forwarding boxes to 

 householders. 



To this end organization is essential. The produce 

 of a given number of farmers or others must be so 

 collected, graded, and packed, that the wholesale 

 dealer will know he can always get the quantities he 

 wants, the qualities he wants, and the style of packing 

 he wants. Accustomed to buying foreign produce 

 according to ' brands,' so that any possible amount he 

 receives will be all of identically the same character 

 and quality, he requires to be assured the same advan- 

 tages when he buys British produce, instead of having 

 to examine separately a score or fifty different lots 

 each time he gives a big order. 



It is organization of this kind which has succeeded 

 so well in foreign countries, and especially on the 

 Continent. It may be represented either by a co- 

 operative society or by some firm which undertakes to 

 do the work on its own account. In either case there 

 is effective organization, with this difference : where 

 there is a co-operative society the farmers are their 

 own collector-distributor, and save an intermediate 

 profit ; where there is a private firm, those who 

 constitute it naturally expect a good return for them- 

 selves, though affording possibly an outlet for the pro- 

 ducers which the latter might not, individually, and left 

 to their own resources, be able to secure. But there 

 is this further important difference between the two 

 systems : if the producers form a society, and act as 

 their own middlemen, they have a better chance of 

 controlling the market, whereas if they sell to the 



