MARKETING GRAIN AT COUNTRY POINTS. 31 



elevator manager guards against price fluctuations and obtains an 

 equitable rate of interest on the capital involved by purchasing the 

 grain on a relatively wide margin, which means a correspondingly 

 low price to the producer. 



It would seem, therefore, that producers should seek to exert some 

 cooperative effort to standardize the varieties, types, and color of 

 grain produced in a community. Such an endeavor, if consummated, 

 undoubtedly would yield satisfactory financial returns for the effort 

 involved. It is quite likely that the standardization of the grain 

 produced in a community would result in a reputation for uniform 

 quality, which at times commands a premium over general market 

 prices. 



FARM AND ELEVATOR SCALES. 



One of the causes of considerable misunderstanding between the 

 elevator manager and the farmer is the use of unreliable scales. Ele- 

 vator scales should be kept in good repair and tested frequently or 

 checked up by comparison with standard weights. In some States 

 the testing is done by an inspector employed by the State or the 

 railroads, while in other places the work is performed by a man in 

 the employ of the State Grain Dealers' Association. In both cases 

 the inspector is subject to call by dealers, who are assessed a standard 

 fee for services rendered. Some grain dealers, however, do not take 

 advantage of the opportunity to ascertain the reliability of their 

 scales. 



IMPORTANCE OF ACCURATE ELEVATOR WEIGHTS. 



Many dealers assume that their scales are correct, although they 

 may not have been examined for several years. The scales should be 

 located properly and when doubt exists regarding the accuracy of 

 an elevator's weights, the scales should be tested every six months or 

 at least once a year, before the heavy crop-moving season. Farmers 

 may well inquire when and by whom the scales were last examined. 

 If more interest were manifested in scale inspection and accurate 

 weights generally, there is little doubt that elevator managers would 

 give the subject more consideration. 



LOSSES DUE TO INACCURATE SCALES. 



The efficient manager, however, is always anxious to keep his 

 scales in good repair and capable of giving accurate weights, be- 

 cause a business can not be conducted economically unless he can 

 ascertain the exact amount of grain received and shipped out. 

 Losses from inaccurate scales may fall upon the elevator as well 



