1014. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
931 
HOW CO-OPERATIVE BUYING IS DONE. 
N page 830 we printed a statement of the fertilizer 
business done by the Portage County organiza¬ 
tion in Ohio. This year these farmers distributed 
20,000 tons at an estimated saving of $80,000. When¬ 
ever these figures are given they are severely criti¬ 
cized by manufacturers and dealers. We are repeated¬ 
ly told that such trade would be impossible without a 
capital of $250,000 or $300,000. Where could farmers 
ever raise that or obtain credit for such an amount? 
Now The It. N.-Y. does its best to obtain the truth 
for its readers, and it will not knowingly print any 
false or misleading statement. Is it true that these 
Ohio farmers are buying fertilizer in this way? If so, 
how are they able to do it? We have obtained the 
facts, fertilizer contracts and documents, which show 
that farmers are actually buying the goods. As to the 
way it is done, the following clear and concise state¬ 
ment ought to satisfy anyone: 
The plan adopted is very simple and workable. In 
brief it is as follows: Men are selected who will 
handle the business at each shipping point in the or¬ 
ganized territory. Farmers are requested to hand 
their order to these chosen agents. Each order is 
accompanied by a $2 advance payment as a guarantee 
of good faith. The agent forwards the orders to the 
company, and goods are shipped to the agent. Terms 
are simply sight draft attached to the bill of lading. 
This the agent must pay before the goods are delivered 
to him. Thus the company has the money to its 
credit before the farmers receive the goods. The farm¬ 
ers are pledged to pay cash so that the agent is out 
the use of his money not longer than 3G hours. For 
this and his time and trouble he is allowed a commis¬ 
sion of 75 cents per ton. The only capital therefore 
necessary to swing the deal is money enough in the 
pocket of the farmer to pay for the goods he has 
ordered. 
Thus far, we understand, the farmers have raised 
the cash and paid it when the goods arrived. The 
system is not a new one. It has been operated on 
Long Island, in New Jersey and elsewhere with some 
modification. The farmer’s saving comes through a 
large combined order direct, and prompt cash pay¬ 
ment. Another saving is made through the farmers’ 
knowing just what their soil needs and buying chemi¬ 
cals to meet its requirements instead of guessing at it. 
The system is also a good thing, or can be made so, 
for the manufacturer who can make contracts with 
responsible people knows what his trade will be and 
receives i^'ompt cash payments. At least, it seems to 
be tru’e that manufacturers are competing for this 
trade. 
New York State News. 
MENIA FIELD DAW—The fifth annual, field day 
at Amenia will occur on Saturday, August 15. 
The Amenia Field Day Association is now an 
incorporated society, and an effort will be made to 
have this the largest and best outing that the society 
has ever had. Men of national prominence will be 
secured as speakers, but their names are not yet an¬ 
nounced. Besides making it a field day of the ordi¬ 
nary sort there will be an exhibit of farm produce and 
farm implements of a purely local nature. In this 
matter the Dutchess County Farm Bureau manage¬ 
ment will co-operate. The moving picture concerns 
have already made application to take pictures of the 
events. 
STATE FAIR EXPENSES.—A policy of retrench¬ 
ment in expenses has been adopted by the State Fair 
Commission whereby expenses in all departments will 
be limited to 15 per cent, of the amount expended last 
year. The situation was created by the fact that the 
Legislature appropriated only $30,000 for premiums in¬ 
stead of the $63,000 asked for by the Commission, and 
made no provision for maintenance of the grounds, an 
item in itself of $20,000. In adopting a retrenchment 
policy it is said that the members of the Commission 
were actuated to a certain extent Ly the fact that if 
appropriations exceeded and a deficit resulted they 
would be personally liable. But were this the case 
there is no doubt but that they would have been re¬ 
imbursed by the next Legislature. It was decided, 
however, not to reduce the premium list from the $63,- 
IXX) figure, as an opinion of the Attorney-General had 
been secured which was to the effect that the revenue 
from gate receipts could be used to make up any 
deficiency in the premium moneys. lie bases his opin¬ 
ion on the statement in the supply bill which says: 
“For deficiency in appropriation for premiums for fair 
of 1014, $30,000.” This, he says, would seem to con¬ 
template an appropriation for a deficiency, and in¬ 
timates the reception of funds from other sources avail¬ 
able for the purpose. The Attorney-General also ex¬ 
presses the opinion that the commissioners would be 
personally liable to exhibitors should they become en¬ 
titled to premiums under the advertisements of the 
Commission in that regard, should they exceed in ex¬ 
penses the amount appropriated by the Legislature 
and the net receipts available. 
MONSTER GRANGE PICNIC.—It is planned by 
the State Fair Commission to have a monster Grange 
picnic one day at the State Fair this Fall. It will be 
held on Grange Day, and as we understand it, the 
Commission has offered reduced gate admissions on 
that day which should appeal to all members of the 
order who can attend. The plans are not yet an¬ 
nounced but will be soon. In the large hickory grove 
on the fair grounds tables will be provided for Grange 
parties. It is said that two Granges in Yates County 
have already announced that they would guarantee an 
attendance of 500 from their jurisdiction. 
COMPENSATION INSURANCE PREMIUMS.—It 
is announced that the workmen’s compensation pre¬ 
miums amounted, up to July 6, to about $15,000,000 
which has been paid into the State by manufacturers. 
This amount will be largely increased by the latter 
part of the week, as Friday is the time limit for the 
issuance of policies to manufacturers. These ar-e the 
premiums paid for State policies, and of course there 
are many others in other companies. One concern 
filed its intention of carrying its own insurance, and 
also filed bonds amounting to $18,000. 
STATE GRANGE SCHOLARSHIPS.—The follow¬ 
ing persons have been awarded scholarships of $50 
each by the State Grange Scholarships Committee, for 
the short course at the State Agricultural College: 
George Ohlem, Ashville; Nellie Brainard, Ellington; 
Myron K. Morse, Halcott Center; Rollin Case, Frews- 
burg; William Stockham, Holley; Frank K. York, 
Smithville; R. M. Giles, Skaneateles; L. I’. Poole, 
Manorville; Ray Thomas, East Bloomfield; E. R. 
Hall, Camillus; Earl McNulty, Java Center; Edith 
Brainard, Ellington. These awards have just been 
announced by the committee, consisting of W. II. 
Vary, W. N. Giles and George Warren. 
OTHER GRANGE ITEMS.—Grange activities in 
Sullivan Co .nty are especially noteworthy this Sum¬ 
mer. Last month a Pomona or county Grange was 
organized at Liberty, by State Secretary Giles, with 
D. II. Clements as master. A subordinate Grange 
was organized at Hortonville, the same county, on 
June 23, by County Deputy David Muirhead. A mas¬ 
ters’ and lecturers’ association was also organized at 
Liberty on June 29.-A new Grange was organized 
at Brewster, Putnam County, on June 18.-The De- 
pauville Grange dedicated its new hall on July 4, 
State Master Vary officiating.-There are now over 
850 subordinate Granges in the State. Of this num¬ 
ber there are 23 having a membership of more than 
500 each, and four that exceed 600 each. The largest 
Grange in the State is Webster Grange with 725 mem¬ 
bers. j. w. D. 
Canadian Crops and Trade. 
The Ottawa authorities report a great increase in 
export of Canadian wheat to South Africa. Total 
Canadian trade for the fiscal year exceeded $1,000,- 
000,000, an increase of $26,697,554 over the previous 
year. Wheat and barley are making good progress. 
The area under Spring wheat is reported to be 10,- 
230,500 acres—185,500 acres more than last year. The 
area of Fall wheat expected to be harvested is 924.300 
acres—3,300 acres more than in 1913. The acreage of 
oats is placed at 10,811,000 acres, compared with 10,- 
434,000 acres last year, an increase of 477,000 acres. 
Wheat Shortage in France. 
In a fairly favorable season France produces nearly 
enough wheat for home use. This year the crop is so 
poor that imports of 50,000.000 bushels or more are 
anticipated. The import records of previous unfavor¬ 
able years, extending back 15 years, are: 52.000,000 
bushels, 1S97-9S; 73.000.000 in 1910-11; 45,000,000 
in 1913-14. The harvest of 1908-09 was large enough 
to bar imports. The past four years have all been 
short, though less than 10,000,000 bushels in some 
cases. North Africa has been one of the large sources 
of supply for France, the remainder coming from 
Australia, Central Europe and the United States. Our 
sales to France last year were about 4,700,000 bushels. 
Potatoes from Maine. 
IIE U. S. Department of Agriculture has adopted 
new quarantine regulations for shipment of 
Maine potatoes. This is to prevent the spread 
of powdery scab. The new rules go into effect August 
1. The regulations provide that no potatoes shall be 
moved from any quarantined area unless they are duly 
certified as fit for either table or seed use and are 
packed in accordance with certain specified rules. To 
obtain the necessary certificates for shipments, growers 
must apply for inspection by a Federal inspector, and 
all potatoes intended for seed use must be stored and 
handled according to certain prescribed methods. Lots 
in which any of the potatoes are found to be infected 
with powdery scab or any similar disease will not be 
certified under any circumstances for seed use. They 
may, however, be certified for table use after the dis¬ 
eased potatoes are removed and destroyed. 
Delaware Conditions. 
HE long drought was broken in the lower half of 
this county on June 27, when we had a heavy 
rain, which greatly benefited all growing crops. 
The upper part, however, is still dry, and crops suffer¬ 
ing badly for rain. Wheat harvest is over, but thrash¬ 
ing is being delayed by light showers, which keeps the 
straw damp. Scarcely any wheat is stacked here, all 
being thrashed from the field. The dry weather cut 
the strawberry crop short, as it also did the pea crop 
for the canneries. Some growers did not realize 
enough from their pea crops to pay for the seed and 
fertilizer. Early apples are being picked and market¬ 
ed in large quantities, and good prices are being real¬ 
ized for them. Some have received as high as $1.30 
per bushel for their early Transparent apples. Pas¬ 
tures which were getting short have rapidly revived 
in the section where we had rain. Harvesting hay 
has just commenced. There is scarcely more than a 
half crop. The early white potato crop, which has 
suffered greatly by the drought, will soon be ready to 
dig. Eugene Shallcross, who has a 16-aere potato 
patch, purchased a pump with a capacity of 125 gal¬ 
lons per minute, and a four horsepower gasoline en¬ 
gine and is irrigating his potatoes. The experiment is 
being watched with much interest by his neighbors. 
Dover, Del. C. ii. 
Government Crop Report. 
I N the Winter wheat sections harvesting conditions 
have been favorable. Thrashing is under way ex¬ 
cept in parts of Kansas, where it is delayed by 
rain. In the Spring wheat States weather has been 
ideal for growth of the plant. The Western corn¬ 
growing States have had abundant rains, but the Ohio 
Valley and southward is suffering for rain. Drought 
continues serious in Texas, where the late cotton is 
being pinched. The Atlantic States have had good 
rains from Virginia northward. Apples promise a 
large yield in Michigan, Maryland, Colorado and North 
Carolina. West Virginia will have a large peach crop; 
Maryland and Delaware light. 
The latest estimates of the Bureau of Statistics put 
the Winter wheat yield at 655,000.000 bushels, 32,000,- 
000 more than last year; and Spring, 275.000,000, 
against 230,000,000. Winter wheat is yielding three 
bushels per acre more than the average. 
The corn prediction is 2,S68,000.000, or 421,012,000 
ahead of last year; oats, 1,201,000,000, or S1,000.000 
ahead of 1913. 
Percentage conditions of immature crops July 1 
were: Spring wheat, 92.1; corn, 85.8; oats, 84.5; 
barley, 92.6; rye, 92.9; hay, 80.8, or .3 more than 
last year; apples, 64.2, or 5.8 ahead of 1913. The 
planting of white potatoes is 3,708,000 acres, 140,000 
more than last year; present condition, 83.6, which 
is 5.1 under the 10-year average; estimated yield, 
356,000,000 bushels, or 24.000.000 in excess of 1913; 
sweet potatoes, acreage, 593.000, or 32,000 under 1913; 
condition 77.1 per cent., 9.4 under. 
Co-operative Apple Selling in Nova Ncotia. 
I SEND some of the figures of the United Fruit 
Companies of Nova Scotia, Ltd., which now in¬ 
cludes 39 companies working under special acts of 
the Nova Scotian local House of Parliament aud pool¬ 
ing their apples of the same grades. 
Total apples handled last year 274.000 barrels; 
potatoes, 38,700 barrels; apples graded, 79,531 No. 1, 
36,459 No. 2, 15S,000 No. 3. There were 170 different 
varieties. 
The price was, including absolutely everything, $2.57 
per barrel for No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3, but of course this 
was not the way the money was divided. Total ex¬ 
penses for the Central (not including the local pack¬ 
ing), management, etc., of the different companies, 
$12,300 for apple and potato accounts, and $5,452.4S 
for supplies (expenses for purchasing) : General man¬ 
ager, $2,500; secretary, $1,200; organizer and inspect¬ 
or, $1,200; European representative, $1,111.50; Hali¬ 
fax representative, $1,000; office salaries, $1,S47.03. 
Total salaries, $8,858.53, and travelling expenses of 
$1,963.63. 
In addition to this, other expenses—printing, etc., 
came to $3,831.32, or a cost of handling the apples 
and potatoes of four cents a barrel. This year, with 
twice the crop, the cost should be less than that, even. 
JOHN BUCHANAN. 
Farm Product Prices. 
The Bureau of Statistics gives the following: 
Averages for the United States of Prices Paid to 
Producers of Farm Products. 
May 15, 
May 15, 
May 15, 
Products. 
1914. 
1913. 
1912. 
Hogs, per 100 lbs. 
$7.60 
$7.45 
$6.79 
Beef cattle, 100 lbs. 
6.33 
6.01 
5.36 
Veal calves, 100 lbs. 
7.59 
7.17 
6.23 
Sheep, 100 lbs. 
4.87 
4.91 
4.74 
Lambs, 100 lbs. 
6.49 
6.66 
6.16 
Milch cows, per head. 
59.85 
54.80 
45.63 
’Horses, per head. 
139.00 
145.00 
144.00 
Honey comb, per lb. 
.137 
.138 
.137 
Apples, per bushel. 
1.46 
.94 
1.29 
Peanuts, per lb. 
.051 
.047 
.049 
Beans (dry), per bu. 
2.31 
2.18 
2.52 
Sweet potatoes, per bu.... 
.93 
.93 
1.19 
Cabbages, per 100 lbs. 
2.05 
1.58 
2.98 
Onions, per bushel. 
1.53 
.87 
1.77 
Wool, unwashed, lb. 
.172 
.163 
.178 
Clover seed, per bushel.... 
7.87 
10.74 
12.53 
Timothy seed, per bushel.. 
2.38 
1.76 
7.16 
Alfalfa seed, per bushel... 
6.77 
8.21 
• • • • 
Broom corn, per ton. 
85.00 
53.00 
S3.00 
Cotton seed, per ton. 
23.56 
21. SS 
19.21 
Maple sugar, per lb. 
.123 
.123 
.116 
Maple svrup, per gal. 
1.10 
1.08 
1.09 
Hops, per lb. 
.218 
.134 
.372 
Paid by Farmers: 
Bran, per ton. 
28.08 
24.59 
30.18 
Clover seed, per bu.... 
9.77 
12.90 
.... 
Timothy seed, per bu... 
2.97 
2.40 
. • • . 
Alfalfa seed, per bu.... 
8.38 
9.75 
.... 
