COOPERATIVE PURCHASING AND MARKETING ORGANIZATIONS. 47 



makers and is therefore at all times in a position to know the amount 

 of cheese to be sold. He keeps in touch with the dealers and also 

 with the eastern markets. The arrangements made with the dealers 

 call for prompt pajinents, which enable the factories to pay their 

 patrons regularly, and this is considered an important factor in the 

 success of the venture. It is stated that it is not an uncommon 

 thing for the sales to average over $3,000 a day in periods of high pro- 

 duction. The business of the federation for 1914 amounted to 

 approximately $568,000. 



THE EASTERN SHORE OF VIRGINIA PRODUCE EXCHANGE, VIRGINIA. 



The Eastern Shore of Virginia Produce Exchange was organized in 

 1900 for the purpose of marketing the products of the farmers living 

 in the two counties that form the Virginia part of the peninsula 

 between Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. This is a truck- 

 farming district; the leading crops are Irish and sweet potatoes, 

 strawberries, cabbages, and onions. The exchange markets the 

 products of approximately 3,000 farmers, or about two-thirds of the 

 total output of the territory in which it operates. The annual 

 business includes the sale of 8,000 to 10,000 carloads of Irish potatoes, 

 2,500 to 3,000 carloads of sweet potatoes, and from 100 to 300 cars 

 each of strawberries, onions, and cabbages. The total annual volume 

 of business is from 5 to 6 million dollars. The exchange deals with 

 over 1,300 wholesale buyers, distributed among about 500 cities in 

 about 40 States and Provinces. 



The right to sell produce through the exchange can be secured by 

 becoming a stockholder, by being a tenant of a stockholder, or by 

 purchasing a "shipping privilege," which costs $1. The exchange 

 has a central office, but there are a number of shipping points, as the 

 territory is divided into 35 local divisions and each division has from 

 one to four loading stations. Each local division elects a stock- 

 holder as a director for the general board of directors. The board 

 of directors has supervision over the exchange, but in the main the 

 work of management is left to the general manager and the secretary- 

 treasurer. Each division elects a local agent to look after the work 

 in that division. In addition, there are inspectors for each shipping 

 point, but they are selected by the board of directors instead of by 

 the local growers, in order to insure efficient and uniform inspection. 

 The central office keeps in touch with the local agent to ascertain the 

 probable amounts to be loaded at each shipping point day by day and 

 later he is informed of the actual amount loaded. Thus the central 

 office can see that the proper cars are provided and find markets for 

 the products loaded. An effort is made to finish all the business each 

 day. The local inspectors pass on the products as they are loaded; 

 if they are up to standard they are permitted to carry the exchange 



