2 BULLETIN 558, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



producing grain States of the Middle West was undertaken during 

 the year 1915. Producers, officers and members of grain exchanges 

 at terminal points, managers and owners of country elevators, includ- 

 ing cooperative, independent, and "line" elevators, together with 

 the officers of their associations, were interviewed at length, and 

 extended studies were made of methods and costs of marketing grain 

 at country points. 



Such a vast amount of information has been obtained that only 

 a general summary of existing conditions will be attempted in this 

 bulletin. It is probable, however, that certain features, of necessity 

 discussed more or less briefly at this time, will be made the subject 

 of future publications. 



FUNCTION OF THE COUNTRY ELEVATOR. 



In the grain belt the local elevator occupies an important position 

 in the life of the rural community. The importance of the several 

 functions of the elevator varies considerably in different sections of 

 the country. 



PROVISION OF LOCAL MARKET. 



The primary function of the country elevator is to provide a local 

 market for the surplus grain of the community. It is the practice 

 in many places for the elevator to remain open throughout the year, 

 thus affording the producer, or others having grain for sale, an op- 

 portunity to dispose of it on any business day of the entire year. 

 This everyday market is an important, though not always appreci- 

 ated, privilege which affords the farmer wide opportunity in the 

 marketing of his crop. It enables him to sell his grain at the time 

 when, in his judgment, the price is the most favorable or to market at 

 a time when it interferes least with_other farm operations of greater 

 concern than market-value fluctuations. 



SEASON FOR MARKETING. 



In newly developed sections of the country where capital is lim- 

 ited and the production and marketing of grain forms a major por- 

 tion of the farming operation, the grain is usually marketed im- 

 mediately after harvest. Almost all the grain which leaves these 

 farms, therefore, is received by the elevators during a period of a, 

 few months. In fact, in territories where this system of immediate 

 marketing prevails, many managers close the elevators during the 

 remaining eight or nine months of the year, thus automatically pro- 

 hibiting farmers who do not wish to sell their grain at harvest 

 time from the full privilege of a local market throughout th% year. 



When such a community is supplied with several elevator^ one or 

 two of them sometimes remain open for business, which prayides $. 



