BULLETIN 



UMPIffi 



THE 



Contribution from the Office of Markets and Rural Organization, 



Charles J. Brand, Chief. 



March I, 1915. 



COOPERATIVE ORGANIZATION BUSINESS 

 METHODS. 



By W. II. Kkrr, InvcHtigaior in Mar'kvt Business Practice, and G. A. Xaustoll, 

 Assistant in Cooperative Organization Accounting. 



CONTENTS. 



Iniioduction 



Systems of accounts-- 



Accounting forms 



The office managpi- 



OfBce emploj'ocs 



The secretary 



Records of meetings '__ 



Treasurer 



Surety bonds 



Filing systems 



Safeguarding the cash 



Page. 



9 



10 



Page, 



The expense account 12 



Reserve for depreciation 13 



Dividends - 14 



Trial-balance book 15 



Surplus 16 



Preparation of annual statements 17 



Auditing 18 



Conclusion IJ 2d 



Summary 20 



Bibliography 23 



INTRODUCTION. 



In the promotion of n. cooperative enterprise there is a tendency 

 to look only upon the opportunities of the business itself and the 

 j^reat benefits to l)e derived tlierefrom, disregarding the equally 

 important niattei's concerning the formulation of plans and the 

 adoption of methods for the successful conduct of the business. 



There is consideral)le excellent l)usiness literature dealing with 

 -|K'oi;il phases of various business activities, but there is very little 

 wliif'li deals directly Avith the ])usiness of cooperative agi'icultural 

 nuuketing orgstnizations. This luilletin has been prepared to meet 

 tlic demands for data relating to the business recjuirements of tliese 

 organizations. ?Jj\nyof its discussions ai-e somewhat elementary, but 

 there is need for jnst siidi discussions, since there are many persons 

 •onnected witli (•or)poi-;itive organizations who iiic unfaniiliMr witli 

 tlieso c|n^stions. Tiiis is the fwst of a sei-ies of bnlletins the depart- 

 ment intends to issue which will deal with the business methods of 

 'ooperativc jigricultui al marketing organizations, and it may be 

 termed a general bulletin in that it co\'ers matters of interest to all 



T.THS"- P.ull. 17ft — l.'J 1 



