PAV Aad 
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MARKETING GRAIN AT COUNTRY POINTS. _ 3 
local market at all times. Usually, however, elevators remaining 
open profit to a less degree than those operating during the harvest- 
- ing and marketing periods only. The latter are not burdened with 
excess operating expenses, such as salaries, fuel, light, etc., during 
that portion of the year when comparatively little grain is received, 
while the houses kept open throughout the season rarely receive 
enough grain during the postmarketing season to compensate for 
the cost of operation. Neither do the latter houses distribute the 
eost of operation on a per-bushel basis, because the price paid for 
grain during the heavy marketing season is fixed by competitive 
houses, which establish their figure upon the short-season basis. 
If the house open throughout the year attempted to lower prices dur- 
ing the heavy marketing season in order to accumulate a surplus fund 
for the purpose of meeting operating expenses during the remainder 
of the year, little grain would be received, because the farmer would 
sell to the highest bidder, which would be the short-season house. 
If, however, the house open throughout the year is able to purchase a 
_ considerably larger volume of grain during the heavy marketing 
period than its short-season competitors, 1t may be in a position to 
pay the same price, and, on account of the increased volume, to make 
a proportionately greater profit, thus providing for operating ex- 
penses for the remainder of the year. Sometimes side lines are car- 
ried to offset the difference in operating expense. It would seem 
that price and other factors being equal, the houses that seek to 
_ operate throughout the year should be encouraged. 
COLLECTION AND STORAGE OF GRAIN. 
Unless the country elevator is operated in connection with a mill 
or some other manufacturing plant, it does not consume the commed- 
ities received from the producers, but functions only as a collect- 
ing point from which the grain is started to larger marketing centers 
or to manufacturer and consumer. Such a collecting and shipping 
_ point, if operated economically, is undoubtedly a great convenience 
toa community. In the absence of such a local market the producer 
is forced to dispose of his surplus grain at distant points, thus entail- 
ing inconveniences and marketing hazards. Hence, to serve as a col- 
lecting point for the surplus grain of a community, furnishing at the 
same time the most direct route to a favorable market, is an important 
function of the country elevator. 
The country elevator also serves as a temporary storage place 
where small lots of grain delivered by the various producers are col- 
lected until a volume is accumulated sufficiently large for economical 
sale and transportation. In communities where a comparatively 
small quantity of a certain variety of grain is marketed, several weeks 
eee ye & 
