62 OBSERVATIONS OF A RANCHWOMAN 



the markets of the neighbouring city were so 

 crowded that prices were down, and shipping 

 would not pay. 



* Well, we must combine,' I cried, ' and 

 ship to distant points like the big growers 

 do individually.' 



'There's no combine in this place,' was 

 the retort ; * it's every man for himself, and 

 the Old Gentleman take the hindmost !' 



I regret to have to say that this was 

 but a rather vigorous summary of a reply 

 I received from the President of our Agri- 

 cultural College, whom I consulted as to 

 the feasibility of forming a Farmers' Asso- 

 ciation, not merely for the marketing of 

 fruit, but of all farm products, and I added 

 that I thought that the College, placed here 

 with the idea of guiding and instructing the 

 farmer, ought to take the initiative. The 

 President expressed himself warmly in favour 

 of my view, but also as to the utter hope- 

 lessness of any such happy consummation. 

 ' Someone would have to be at the head of 

 such an association,' he wound up by saying, 

 4 and no one trusts anyone in this community.' 

 A nice state of affairs in a community which 



