2 BULLETIN 541, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
other hand too often expect to obtain the desired results by merely 
providing a general set of by-laws, which do not go into the details 
of the form of organization or the method of conducting the business. 
ADAPTATION OF THE BY-LAWS TO LOCAL NEEDS. 
It is impossible to draw up a standard form of by-laws which will 
adequately meet the needs of all organizations, for certain features 
may be highly desirable for one organization and decidedly impracti- 
cable for another organization. Among the reasons for variation in 
the by-laws, the land of business engaged in is important. Thus 
the regulations in the by-laws of a fruit-shipping association regard- 
ing the grading and packing of goods shipped are not applicable to 
the business of a creamery organization. Many other illustrations 
could be given. 
Certain parts of the by-laws must be drawn to suit the form of 
organization. Thus an association with capital stock will have 
clauses relating to its stock, while a nonstock association must sub- 
stitute other sections more particularly adapted to its form of organ- 
ization. The size of organization also should be taken into considera- 
tion, because by-laws drawn to meet the needs of a small local 
association would have to be changed before they would suit a large 
organization. The general plan may be the same in both cases, but 
some of the details necessarily will differ. Thus, in a small organiza- 
tion with a selected membership, restrictions on the individual 
members may be observed, while in a large organization it would 
probably be impossible to enforce such restrictions. 
Differences in the requirements of various locations must not be 
overlooked. Not only may the local conditions surrounding a co- 
operative creamery in Vermont differ from those of a similar plant 
in Texas, but the local conditions at one creamery may vary con- 
siderably from those at a plant only a few miles away. The ques- 
tions of proximity to market, of competition, of the characteristics 
of the local population, and the kind of farming all must be considered. 
The State law under which the organization is to be incorporated 
also influences the character of the by-laws. Some of the States 
have special laws providing for the formation of cooperative associa- 
tions; in other States such associations are formed in accordance 
with the general incorporation laws. The State laws are far from 
uniform, and it is therefore important to ascertain the requirements 
of the laws of the State in which the association is being incorporated, 
in order that the by-laws may be drawn in accordance with the law. 
IMPORTANCE AND ADVANTAGES OF INCORPORATION. 
A cooperative association may be in the form of a voluntary 
unincorporated association or it may be incorporated under the laws 
of the State in which it is being formed, or those of some other State. 
