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



handle the output. During the last four years $250,000 has been 

 spent in advertising the brands of the exchange. It is considered 

 that this money has been well spent, as a reputation has been built 

 up by proper grading and standardization which has been brought 

 to the attention of many dealers and consumers, thus increasing the 

 demand and resulting in greater consumption and better distribution. 

 The Florida Citrus Exchange consists of four divisions: First, the 

 individual growers; second, the local associations made up of indi- 

 vidual growers; third, the subexchanges made up of local associa- 

 tions; fourth, the central exchange made up of the subexchanges. 

 The growers are the producers and the owners of the entire business. 

 The local associations look after the picking, hauling, packing, and 

 loading of the fruit belonging to its members. The subexchanges 

 act as forwarding agents for the associations. The central exchange 

 takes care of the selling, collecting, advertising, and kindred matters. 



FARMERS' UNION OF MAINE. 



The Farmers' Union of Maine was organized in 1912 as a result of 

 a movement started by the Bureau of Markets and Supplies of the 

 State Agricultural Department. A number of local associations were 

 formed, which in turn formed a central organization called the 

 Farmers' Union of Maine. At present there are over 70 local unions, 

 every county in the State being represented by one or more unions. 

 A local imion becomes affiliated with the central organization by the 

 purchase of five shares of stock at $10 each. 



The local unions began the shipping of potatoes in 1912 and shipped 

 about 250 carloads during that season. Early in 1915 the union 

 secured a stall in the Boston and Maine Railroad produce house in 

 Boston and placed a man in chargeT A total business of $250,000 

 through this house is reported for the year 1915. 



There was a demand among the farmers for supplies such as grain, 

 flour, and feed, and the manager of the union succeeded in organizing 

 the Farmers' Union Grain and Supply Co., which contracted with a 

 private wholesale concern to handle supplies for the union. This 

 company did a business of $250,000 during last year. In the fall of 

 1915 the local unions voted to buy the private wholesale house, each 

 local giving its note for $500. It is estimated that the savings will 

 pay the interest and retire the notes in about five years. 



The Farmers' Union has effected a saving to the farmers in the 

 matter of contracting for fertilizers. It had been customary for the 

 farmers to purchase a large amount of those on credit, which meant 

 the payment of considerably more than the cost price. The union 

 was able to make a contract at a lower price than individual farmers 

 were paying, and this new price was instrumental in reducing the 

 cost to all the farmers. 



