ORGANISATION. 179 



needs have " bulk " to deal with. And that you can secure 

 by co-operating in fairly large numbers. Following the 

 example of the Dutch, the Germans, and the Americans, 

 we have succeeded in going farther still at some points. 

 The Dutch Co-operative Markets — for live stock and also 

 for other produce — have been found a most valuable institu- 

 tion, which not only really creates a most willing and highly 

 appreciated market, but in addition make the seller the 

 regulator of sales. In Germany the business is considerably 

 larger. The co-operative live stock markets there — and 

 also some in Austria' — are really grand institutions, taking 

 rank among other markets like the world-famed Leipzig 

 fair among other fairs. And not only are the producing 

 farmers masters there, but on several occasions the co- 

 operators have been able to ward off the suspension, dreaded 

 by them, of the prohibition to import live stock from 

 abroad, by undertaking to supply, themselves, of home- 

 grown live stock, all that would be required. And they 

 have carried out their undertaking fully, purely by Co- 

 operation, and have accordingly reaped a splendid reward. 

 We have lately taken — late enough in the day — to co- 

 operation in the sale of wool, and those joining in the under- 

 taking have found their account in it. The French have 

 been beforehand with us in the matter, and so have the 

 Americans. Collecting large quantities of wool, you can 

 get an approved expert, who knows the market well, to 

 have all the wool sorted according to the several parts of 

 the body, and collectivelybrought up to the market in a shape 

 thoroughly acceptable to buyers and therefore fetching a 

 considerably higher price. For sorting and sending back- 

 wards and forwards costs money, and the buyer always 

 makes quite sufficient allowance for what he might conceiv- 

 ably lose in overestimating the proportion of the good 

 parts. That, of course, presupposes that all the wool 

 brought together is of the same breed of sheep. And here 

 we come upon a new recommendation of organised Co- 

 operation, which applies not only to wool. In order to 

 secure the best possible market as a trustworthy and per- 

 manent possession, a Co-operative Organisation can, by 



