10 BULLETIN 547, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



or oven a number of growers can not accomplish very much in this 

 manner, but when a number of local organizations of growers form a 

 central organization, the volume of business is sufficiently large to 

 render it practicable to conduct such work on an extensive scale. The 

 local fruit-marketing associations have had greater need for central 

 organizations than the local elevator and creamery associations, 

 consequently such organizations have played a more important part 

 in the case of fruit associations. 



While the most extensive organizations for the marketing of fruit 

 are found in the Western States, there are a number of such associa- 

 tions in other parts of the United States. Most of them are found in 

 regions where fruit growing is an important industry, but some are 

 found in places where this industry is only a side line. Fruit-market- 

 ing organizations formed in regions where the members are not 

 dependent on the fruit crop for a living frequently are not very 

 successful. 



In some of the truck-growing districts there are extensive organi- 

 zations for the marketing of truck crops. Like some of the fruit 

 associations, they have been instrumental hi establishing uniform 

 grades and in selling them under trade-marked brands. In addition, 

 a number of local organizations formed for the purpose of marketing 

 truck or vegetable crops are scattered over the country. A number 

 of such associations have been organized for the sole purpose of 

 marketing potatoes, while others which began with potatoes now 

 handle a variety of commodities. 



COTTON ORGANIZATIONS. 



The cotton growers of the South have a number of cooperative 

 organizations, but the cotton grower is not as well organized as the 

 fruit grower, the grain farmer, or the dairy farmer. Because of the 

 common custom of securing advances on their growing crop from 

 merchants and others, the marketing of the cotton crop, to a large 

 extent, has been taken out of the farmers' hands. This practice 

 has stood in the way of any extensive organization among the growers 

 for marketing purposes. While the movement is not yet general, 

 there are a number of selling associations, warehouses, cotton gins, 

 and oil mills that are controlled by growers. 



COOPERATIVE PURCHASING. 



The cooperative purchase of supplies has been carried on among the 

 farmers of the United States for a long time. In some cases the 

 farmers have associations organized for this special purpose, but in a 

 great number of instances it is carried on in an informal way, without 

 a definite organization. The selling associations of farmers frequently 

 serve as mediums for the cooperative purchase of supplies. Thus tho 

 fruit associations often buy supplies needed by the fruit growers, and 

 tin- same custom is followed by other cooperative organizations. 



