OF THE 



aula 0f l^griallnn. 



Vol. II.] September 1895. [No. 2. 



CO-OPERATION IN THE IRISH EGG TRADE. 



In a short account of the progress of co-operation amongst 

 Irish farmers, published in an earlier number of this Journal,* 

 some details were furnished of the success which had attended 

 the efforts of the co-operative dairy societies in the south of 

 Ireland to effect an improvement in the distribution and market- 

 ing of dairy products by means of a federation for the joint sale 

 of their produce, under the name of the Irish Co-operative 

 Agency Society. 



Hitherto, the trading operations of this Agency have been con- 

 fined for the most part to the sale of butter, but a new and impor- 

 tant branch of business has recently been inaugurated by the 

 completion of arrangements for the sale of eggs on behalf of 

 various local societies. It is hoped that the successful extension 

 of co-operation to the egg and poultry industries will effectually 

 dispose of the argument that the co-operative movement has 

 deprived farmers' wives and daughters of occupation, owing to 

 the home dairies having been superseded by butter factories and 

 creameries. 



The Agency is prepared to sell all the eggs that may be con- 

 signed to it, on condition that they are fresh, of good quality, and 

 properly packed. It is proposed that centres for the collection 

 of the eggs shall be formed by local societies constituted on the 

 lines of a scheme drawn up by the Irish Agricultural Organisa- 

 tion Society, which was explained in a recent number of the Irish 

 Homestead, the official organ of that body. The local societies 

 will be managed by a committee elected by the members from 

 amongst themselves. It is estimated that each society will 

 require a working capital of about 300Z. in order to be in a 

 position to pa}^ cash for the eggs supplied. In cases where 

 this amount is not forthcoming from the subscriptions for 

 the shares, the remainder will be borrowed on the security of 



* The Journal of the Board of Agriculture, Vol. II., No. 1. 

 O 88180. Wt. 9681. A 



