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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, Hees with 
the officers of their associations, were interviewed at length, and 
extended studies were made of nade and costs of marketing oun 3 
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 the year. 
When such a community is supplied with several elevators, one or 
two of them sometimes remain open for business, which provides 2 
