Commercial Disposal of the Sweet Potato 351 



should be sent the latter with the check for his net 

 returns. 



As has been said, the grower should never lose an 

 opportunity to become personally acquainted with the 

 commission-man who handles his goods. Personal ac- 

 quaintance will be mutually profitable. The ISTational 

 League of Commission Merchants will give information 

 concerning the reliability of any leading commission- 

 men. 



Cooperative shipping. 



Intensification of state cooperative extension work 

 from the land grant colleges has done much to stimulate 

 cooperation in all lines of farming and especially 

 cooperative shipping of perishable truck crops. Local 

 agricultural agents in each county to notify the farm- 

 ers of the day designated, with a state marketing 

 specialist to place the cars, have greatly facilitated 

 cooperative shipping of sweet potatoes throughout the 

 southern states, where the sweet potato industry as a 

 commercial enterprise is comparatively young, and 

 where many of the farmers know nothing of marketing 

 principles. 



The only way in which an organized coopera- 

 tive association can be formed successfully among 

 farmers is for a specific and urgent need to exist for 

 cooperative effort in order that some one thing of com- 

 mon interest may be accomplished. The need must be 

 immediate. Frequently when some outside agency has 

 helped a number of growers to get together to ship a 

 car of potatoes cooperatively, the need for an organiza- 

 tion will be recognized. Much has been said and writ- 

 ten about cooperation within the last few years, some 



