]10 



SCIENTIFIC AGRICULTURE 



March. 1921. 





Central AVarehnusp of the Canadian Co-operative Wool Growers. Ltd.. Weston. Ont. 



ing ill the organization of the Caiiadiaii Co-operative 

 Wool Growere, Ltd. 



The new organization eaiiie into lieiiig with a oon- 

 stitiitioii whieh, a.s already stated, permitted all the 

 local a.s.soeiatious to retain their identity and loeal 

 autonomy, thus maintaining their full confidence 

 and support. Local niaaagement had developed keen 

 executive ability and tlie keenest, ablest and 

 most experienced were placed on tlie executive and 

 directorate of the new organizati(ni. Previous ex- 

 jierience had demonstrated the value of business 

 ability and salesmanship and liere again picked men 

 were selected for these important positions. The 

 principle of co-operation was adopted in its entirety 

 and apjilied to both the management and disposal 

 of dividends. It was agreed that sales for product 

 consigned were to be made on the grade and qual- 

 ity basis. The organization was to be self sustain- 

 ing in every detail except that it solicited the moral 

 support of Governments, both Provincial and Do- 

 minion. 



The success of the enterprise is now more or less 

 definitely established. The business has grown from 

 3,500,000 pounds in 1918 to over 5,000,000 pounds in 

 1920. The year 1919 saw the beginning of the first 

 real difficulties for the new enterprise. Prices com- 

 menced to fall and a portion of the 1919 clip re- 

 mained unsold. Ilowevei-, the year 1920 demon - 

 tratt^d the real benefit of a Dominion-wide organi- 

 zation for Canadian sheep raisers. Early in the sea- 

 son the regular trade agencies ceased to operate, 

 almost entirely, owing to market uncertainties. The 

 Canadian Co-operative Wool Growers, Ltd., were 

 able to negotiate for an advance on wool to farmers 

 of 15 cents and 20 cents for Domestic m'ooIs and 20 

 cents and 25 cents for Range Wools. After con- 

 signment and grading the wool was offered to the 

 trade throughout the entire season and sales were 

 effected from month to month. Previous to Decem- 



ber :ilst. 1920, some 3,400,000 pounds of wool were 

 sold ami since Jan. 1st, 1,800,000 jiounds have been 

 disi)osed of. At the present time all of the 1920 

 consignment has been sold exeei)t a few thousand 

 ptuuids, a large proportion at exceptionally good 

 figures and all of it at satisfactory prices to grow- 

 ers, considering the general market -conditions 

 throughout the season. 



Of last years' clip 45 per cent of graded wool 

 was sold to Canadian mills, 51 per cent to LI. S. 

 firms and 4 per cent to British buyei-s. The effect 

 of being able to sell all co-operative consignments 

 for 1920, when other countries still have vast sur- 

 pluses of wool on hand, is a conclusive proof of the 

 feasibility of co-operative enterprise on a Dominion- 

 wide scale and should do much to give greater con- 

 fidence to other co-operative institutions. The effect 

 on the sheep industry has been productive of greater 

 confidence and renewed interest and will undoubt- 

 edly be a prominent conti-ibuting factor to a per- 

 manent and gradual growth of she^p raising. The 

 farmers' marketing organization has come through 

 the reconstruction period with a good business rec- 

 ord. Their financial position is secure 'and therefore 

 they may be considered a jiermanent monument to 

 cooperative enterprise that will continue to render 

 equally as good service for the future as has lieen 

 given in the past. 



EDITOR'S NOTE. 



A continuation of the foregoing article, under the 

 title "Wool Grading as it Affects Canadian Wool 

 Sales'" will appear in our April issue, with suitable 

 illustrations. The two articles i-epresent the revision 

 of an address given b\- j\Ir. MacMillan to members of 

 the Canadian Society of Technical Agriculturists at a 

 recent meeting held in Ottawa. 



