1905.] 



Co-operative Dairying in England. 



197 



The Eastern Counties Dairy Farmers' Co-operative Society 

 was formed in 1896 for the purpose of marketing the milk and 

 other produce of its members, who number fifty, the nominal 

 capital of the Society being £1,020, of which ^520 has been 

 paid up. At present the business, as far as dairy produce is 

 concerned, has been principally confined to dealing in whole 

 milk, though there has also been a small separate trade done 

 in eggs and poultry. The turnover has been steadily increasing 

 Last year (1904) it amounted to ^27, 000, and the year before 

 (1903) to ^'20,000, giving a profit which enabled the Society to 

 pay a dividend of 4 per cent, on the capital, besides a bonus of 

 i per cent, to the members on the total value of the sales 

 during the year, and a bonus of J per cent, on the purchases of 

 customers having contracts with the Society. 



There is no system here of milk collection, the farmer himselF 

 effecting delivery at the station in his own cart, and consigning 

 the milk there either to a dealer with whom the Society has 

 made a contract, or to the Society's representative at Stratford, 

 in East London, or sometimes partly the one and partly the other. 

 By this contract with the Society, the farmer is bound to strain 

 his milk and cool it down to 60 deg. F. at least before placing 

 it in his churns, a rule which is absolutely necessary for his own,: 

 ultimate benefit, and one which is fairly strictly observed. 



The Society, through its representative at Stratford, makes 

 contracts with the retailers for the regular supply of milk, the 

 members, in their turn, contracting with the Society to furnish 

 a certain quantity daily. The contract is usually a half-yearly 

 one, the "summer price" being fixed for the period from 

 March 25th to September 29th, and the "winter price" from 

 September 29th to March 25th. The quantity to be supplied 

 is not an absolutely fixed amount, a certain margin (generally 

 about 10 per cent.) being allowed. Thus, if a farmer thinks he 

 can supply about 100 gallons daily, he contracts with the Society 

 to supply between 95 and 105 gallons daily. If he then sends 

 less than 95 gallons, and the Society, in order to carry out its 

 contracts, is obliged to purchase milk, the farmer has to pay 

 the difference between the contract price and the market price 

 on the deficit. So that if, in the case supposed above, the farmer 

 only sends 90 gallons, and the Society is obliged to buy five 



