BULLETIN OF THE jfi 
WSHmtMBKSM 
No. 178 
Contribution from the Office of Markets and Rural Organization 
Charles J. Brand, Chief. 
March I, 1915. 
COOPERATIVE ORGANIZATION BUSINESS 
METHODS. 
l>y W. II. Kerr, Investigator in Market Business Practice and G. A. Nahstoll, 
Assistant in Cooperative Organization Accounting. 
CONTENTS. 
Pago. 
Introduction z 1 
Systems of accounts 2 
Accounting forms 4 
The office manager 5 
Office employees 6 
The secretary 7 
Records of meetings 7 
Treasurer 8 
Surety bonds 8 
Filing systems 9 
Safeguarding the cash 10 
The expense account 
Reserve for depreciation 
Dividends 
Trial-balance book 
Surplus 
Preparation of annual statements- 
Auditing 
Conclusion 
Summary 
Bibliography 
Page. 
12 
13 
14 
ir> 
16 
17 
18 
20 
20 
23 
INTRODUCTION. 
In the promotion of a cooperative enterprise there is a tendency 
to look only upon the opportunities of the business itself and the 
great benefits to be derived therefrom, disregarding the equally 
Important matters concerning the formulation of plans and the 
adoption of methods for the successful conduct of the business. 
There is considerable excellent business literature dealing with 
special phases of various business activities, but there is very little 
which deals directly with the business of cooperative agricultural 
marketing organizations. This bulletin has been prepared to meet 
the demands for data relating to the business requirements of these 
organizations. Many of its discussions are somewhat elementary, but 
there is need for just such discussions, since there are many persons 
connected with cooperative organizations who are unfamiliar with 
these questions. This is the first of a series of bulletins the depart- 
ment intends to issue which will deal with the business methods of 
cooperative agricultural marketing organizations, and it may be 
termed a general bulletin in that it covers matters of interest to all 
73148°— Bull. 178— 15 1 
