796 READINGS IN RURAL ECONOMICS 



The need of keeping cattle in order to continue grain farm- 

 ing successfully tended to direct the farmer's attention toward 

 problems pertaining to the price return of grain and that of 

 the live-stock industry. The effect is seen in attempts to or- 

 ganize co-operative elevators and creameries, while the revolt 

 against the country merchant is revealed in numerous ventures 

 to establish co-operative stores. 



In the meantime, certain forces were slowly being set in mo- 

 tion which were destined in time to alter radically the methods 

 of egg-marketing. A steady improvement in the agencies for 

 transportation and the perfecting of a dependable system of cold 

 storage led to far-reaching results. The former paved the way 

 for a widening in the area of the market. The latter made 

 possible an extension of the market in time as well as in space. 



It is important to appreciate the significance of this constant 

 widening of the market. Where buying and selling are confined 

 within narrow limits, the price level is subject to sudden and 

 violent fluctuations. Every widening of the field makes for 

 greater stability and steadiness in the level of prices. As im- 

 provements in transportation took place, they had the effect of 

 bringing a larger and larger number of buyers and sellers within 

 the range of a given market and thus made for stability in price. 

 The perfection of cold storage made possible considerable buying 

 and selling for future delivery as well as for present needs. 

 People were thus permitted to draw upon large areas for the 

 supply of a given product and to equalize the conditions of sup- 

 ply the year around by transferring from the surplus seasons to 

 those of relative scarcity. We have noted how the commission 

 man was the sole intermediary for shipments to primary markets 

 during earlier years. As the field of buying and selling gradually 

 widened, however, with improvements in transportation and cold 

 storage, and as the resulting conditions of marketing became 

 relatively more secure, another class of middlemen from the 

 larger centers of trade were attracted toward the business of 

 dealing in farm produce. The method adopted was that of send- 

 ing agents into country towns for the purpose of buying certain 

 products including eggs, poultry, and butter for city shipment 



