112 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



I would suggest that the milk producers in the several dif- 

 ferent sections of the New England States build co-operative 

 creameries convenient to the largest supply, expending only 

 the amount of money really necessary to build and equip such 

 plants, so that the farmers can stand ready to demand a 

 living price for their milk; and if the buyers do not agree 

 to the proposed price, the milk can be converted into butter 

 and the skimmed milk returned to the farmers under the 

 same method that is pursued in Denmark. 



The interest on the money invested to carry out this scheme 

 would be very small, and should be considered as belonging 

 in the same class of expenditures as insurance. 



Mr. George McKerrow, Wis., informs me that an organ- 

 ization of farmers in Woodstock, 111., has carried out this 

 plan successfully, and increased the price received by the 

 producer for milk 10 cents per 100 pounds. 



One other suggestion to help solve the milk question on 

 the lines above recommended is that the Boston Chamber of 

 Commerce, through its committee on agriculture, help 

 finance a co-operative milk-selling plant in Boston. With 

 such a plant in operation the producers would receive more 

 for their product, while the price to consumers would not be 

 increased. Indeed, I firmly believe that under co-operative 

 methods the price to the consumer would be lowered. So let 

 us strive for co-operative organization here in Massachusetts, 

 to the end that our farming may be made more prosperous 

 and our life upon the farm may be still more worth the 

 living. 



Mr. Tayloe. I would like to ask Mr. Ellsworth what 

 prices they get for milk in Germany. 



Mr. Ellsworth. The farmer gets from 2^/4 to 21/2 cents 

 a quart, and in some parts they get as high as 4 cents. 



Mr. Myrick. I would like to make one point very briefly 

 and very vigorously to the farmers of Massachusetts, and that 

 is that the basis of co-operative success in Europe or in this 

 country is going to be financial co-operation, banking co- 

 operation, credit co-operation. Now, we have had in Massa- 

 chusetts since 1909 a credit union law. It is one of the best 



