O RGANIZED EFFORT.—While farmers of this 
country have their 1920 wool clip yet stored in 
warehouses, awaiting buyers, wool growers of Canada 
face the new season with their warehouses empty, 
all wool sold at profitable prices, and look with 
anticipation to the future. The reason for this lies 
in the fact that they have an organization in the 
Canadian Co-operative Wool Growers. Limited, not 
only capable of selling their wool with profit, hut 
one which returns to the individual sheepman great¬ 
est possible returns on his wool. This organization 
is the central agency for the disposal of the wool 
graded and baled by the respective local and pro¬ 
vincial wool growers’ and sheep breeders’ associa¬ 
tions of Canada. The organization has a capitaliza¬ 
tion of $200,000, divided into 20.000 shares of $10 
each, owned by the actual farmers of the various 
provinces of Canada. Wool of the various communi- 
ti> the coming of the new season’s clip, and at. profit¬ 
able prices. In fact, co-operation has swept Canada 
from Atlantic to Pacific, and has not only put the 
sheep industry on its feet, but has directly been 
responsible for its profitableness to such a degree 
as to treble the flocks of practically every section, 
as witness the increased volume of wool produced. 
BEGINNING THE SYSTEM.—Co-operative effort 
was instituted in 1914. which consisted of the organ¬ 
ization of wool growers’ associations throughout 
Canada, and the direction of their efforts in produc¬ 
ing good wool and in classifying it into commercial 
grades. That first year 206,129 lbs. of graded wool 
was handled for the fanners, while the following 
season 19 associations handled 420.000 lbs. The 
amount has steadily crept up uptil the 1920 crop, 
which totalled more than 5.000.000 lbs. And right 
here lies a good hint to those who would promote 
Canada, but more so due to the fact of its proximity 
to the buyers of the United States and Great Britain. 
This house has a capacity of 4,000.000 lbs: of graded 
baled wool, and it is here that the business of tin* 
Canadian sheep industry is transacted. Mr. G. E. 
O'Brien is the secretary of the Canadian Co-opera¬ 
tive Wool Growers and the executive officer of the 
farmers’ institution. Some 12.000 farmers marketed 
their wool through this agency last season, prices 
ranging from 00 cents for the better grades down to 
12 cents for the low grades. The entire clip was 
sold out by the middle of February of this year. 
LOCAL UNITS.—The Pontiac County Wool Grow¬ 
ers’ Association. Quebec, is one of the successful 
local organizations, of which C. II. Hodge is secre¬ 
tary. “The first thing to be done in co-operative 
marketing of any kind,” advises Mr. Hodge, "is to 
get in touch with those who have the articles for 
Vol. LXXIX. 
Published Weekly by The Rural Publishing Co.. 
333 w. 30th St.. New York. Price One Dollar a Year. 
NEW YORK. APRIL 2, 1921 
Class Matter. .Tune 2G. 1879. at the Post 
N. Y., under the Act of March 3. 1879. 
No. 4622 
How Canadian Farmers Marketed W ool 
Grading Wool at Canadian Co-operative Wool Growers ’ Central Warehouse, Toronto. Fig. 211 
ties is assembled in local grading stations, or sta 
tions serving an entire province, and is here graded 
according to strict rules by the experts of the Live 
Stock branch of the Dominion Department of Agri¬ 
culture. 
CHANGED CONDITIONS.—Only 10 years back, 
after thoroughly investigating the sheep industry of 
Canada, the sheep commission appointed to investi¬ 
gate the matter of improved methods of marketing, 
reported regretfully that “from shearing to market 
no country in the world handles its wool in a worse 
manner than Canada. As far as the wool of mutton 
breeds and cross breeds go. we do not know of any 
country where it is handled in such an unsatisfac¬ 
tory manner and delivered in such bad condition.” 
Considerable of a contrast, as against the present 
conditions, which permit of the sale of the wool prior 
agriculture; a hint, by the way. which some of the 
enthusiastic Farm Bureau and other promoters may 
take home and use. It is this: If you wish to 
develop and expand agriculture, to make farming 
attractive, you must make it profitable to be in the 
business. The result of making wool marketing a 
profitable venture did more to expand the number 
of sheep flocks in Canada than all the glib-worded 
bulletins fired at the farmers for 20 years. 
CENTRALIZED WAREHOUSE.—The wool sales 
had not been going on many seasons until the wide¬ 
awake Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Martin Burrell, 
foresaw the urgent need of a centralized warehouse 
where the sales of the entire Dominion could be 
handled in an efficient manner. Toronto was selected 
for this house, not only because of its superior 
transportation facilities, leading to all parts of 
sale. In the case of the wool marketing this was 
accomplished by means of demonstrations in shear¬ 
ing, rolling and tying of fleeces, etc., a demonstration 
being held in each community and all the neighbor¬ 
ing sheep owners were invited to attend. Men not 
attending were called upon personally, and the work 
explained to them, sacks and twine left with them 
at the same time. At the close of each demonstra¬ 
tion a director was elected from those present to 
represent that locality, these directors being later 
endorsed at a general meeting called for the purpose 
of organizing the county association." Argenteuil 
County. Quebec, also has a thriving association, of 
which ,L AY. Gall is secretary-treasurer. This organ¬ 
ization has grown from a few scattering associations 
to more than 25 local units, and the production and 
sale of wool from 10.000 lbs. to nearly 100,000 lbs. 
