26 
FARMERS* BULLETIN 993. 
bers and are responsible to the members for their actions. The sec¬ 
retary-treasurer usually transacts the bulk of the business for the 
directors and upon him rests very much of the responsibility for the 
successful operation of the association. It is well, therefore, to select 
for this position a man who is keenly alive to and interested in bull- 
association work. His duties consist in keeping the minutes of the 
meetings and the breeding records for the whole association, and the 
handling of all the association’s correspondence. The proper keeping 
of the breeding record involves a thorough understanding of the use 
of herd books of the breed selected as well as a knowledge of the in¬ 
dividuals and families of that breed. This official also may have to 
buy and sell live stock, especially if the association desires to market 
surplus animals cooperatively. In other words, he is the man in the 
association who more than any one else should understand all its 
operations. He should not be changed often; therefore a well-estab¬ 
lished farmer who is not only particularly interested in the breed 
but also in the problems of the farm and of the community should 
be selected. The position is one of considerable advantage to a breeder 
because he gets in closer touch with the breed. In the beginning the 
secretary-treasurer would probably serve without compensation, but 
as the association enlarges and makes greater demand upon his time 
he should receive pay. 
The business transactions of the officers and directors should always 
be carefully explained to the association in order to prevent any mis¬ 
trust or dissension. As a rule, members are long-suffering in regard 
to faults but are quick to resent their concealment. Frankness of 
the members toward the officials of the association is essential, par¬ 
ticularly in combating abortion, tuberculosis, or other contagious or 
infectious diseases. Members should keep in mind the fact that an 
individual is often unable to transact his private business satisfac¬ 
torily and therefore should be patient with those in charge of the 
association’s business. Trivial matters never should be allowed to 
disturb the business affairs of the organization, but questions of im¬ 
portance should always be presented to the proper officers and care¬ 
fully discussed. Frankness in presenting difficulties usually results 
in a satisfactory adjustment. 
From one cause or another a bull may prove to be a nonbreeder, and 
sometimes thoughtless members do not accept such an occurrence as 
unavoidable, as they would in their own herds. The loss of an ani¬ 
mal in their herd does not deter them from continuing the raisino* of 
stock, whereas the loss of but a fraction of the money invested in a 
bull association often is considered a sufficient reason for pronounc¬ 
ing the bull association a failure. In a bull association the loss of a 
bull by accident falls upon many and is more easily borne- than it 
would be by an individual. Accidental loss in bull associations will 
