2 BULLETIN 3&4, U. S. DEPAKTMENT OF AGRICULTUEE. 



the summer of 1915, undertook to make a survey of a number of typi- 

 cal cooperative stores. The sole purpose of the survey was that some 

 disinterested agency might be informed as accurately as possible 

 regarding the subject of cooperative stores, and that some measure 

 of guidance might be extended to stores which are noAv operating and 

 to those which may be formed in the. future. 



No attempt was made to visit or question all the cooperative 

 stores in any State visited. The investigation was confined to a 

 number of representative stores which were chosen after a study 

 of all available information. Care was taken to include as nearly 

 as possible reiDresentatives of all existing types. Among them are 

 found some of the most successful concerns, as well as others which, 

 at the time of the survey, had already gone into the hands of re- 

 ceivers. A study of the tables makes clear the great range of stores 

 investigated. The stores selected were in 10 different States : Miclii- 

 gan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Iowa, Kansas, 

 California, Oregon, and Washington. 



A list of questions, arranged in groups, was drawn up as shoAvn 

 on page 3. The investigator made a personal visit to each store, 

 went over the entire list of questions with the manager, and supple- 

 mented the questionnaire by notes on points which could not be 

 covered in this categorical form. 



The present bulletin covers the material collected from 60 stores, 

 but almost half of these were unable to supply sufficiently accurate 

 data to be included in Table X. For the most part, the tables are 

 allowed to speak for themselves. The supplementary^ reading matter 

 is intended merely to bring out facts which either can not be included 

 in the tables or which might escape the attention of the student if 

 specific reference were not made to them. In the questionnaire (p. 3) 

 the figures represent averages for the stores answering the question, 

 which number is indicated in parentheses. The results may be studied 

 to better advantage by reference to the different tables. 



At the outset it must be made clear that neither the tables nor 

 the observations make any pretense of finality. At the same time, 

 it is believed that they are sufficiently reliable to offer timely sug- 

 gestions to all who are interested in the cooperative-store movement. 

 The investigator used as much precaution to obtain accurate data as 

 the limitations of the survey would permit. Nearly all of the results 

 are based on certified reports. In a few instances careful estimates 

 were accepted; but these, it is believed, in no case materially affect 



Note. — For further discussion of cooperative purchasing of farm supplies see Carver, 

 T. N. : The Organization of a Rural Community, Department of Agriculture Yearbook, 1914 

 (separate 632), and Bassett, C. E. : The Cooperative Purchase of Farm Supplies, Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture Yearbook, 1915 (separate 658). 



