Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-05-21
NeighborhoOd Cooperation.

The more machinery is perfected to take
the place of hand labor, the greater the ten.
dency to absorb small farms into larger ones
The cost Of the best machinery is quite too
great to be borne on small farm. 1t mat.
ters not how great may be the saving of Ia.
Dor in tho use Of machine costing 800, if
it is to be used only one day in year, the
capital is too great for the profit in its lin
tied use. We believe the aggregation Of
small farms into larger ones to be bad pol
icy politically. 1t may be cougenial to an
aristocracy or monarchy, but not to republic
can America. Division, not extension,
should be the rule for landed property 10
this country But the small farmer, work.
ing to such disadvantage with his prosper
GUS neighbor, becomes discouraged and sells or
moves to new fields. The policy should be
TO do all that can be done to increase and
not diminish the numbers Of these independ-
ent tilers of the soil. As two or more
farms are concentrated into one, the ex.owu-
ers are apt to 60 to the city as favorable
change Of occupation. This leads to the
concentration of political power in cities,
result to be greatly deplored.
The remedy for all this is cooperation
among the farmers Of a neighborhood in the
purchase and use Of the best farm imple-
ments and machinery This may be done
without any larger expenditure on the part
Of the small farmer in proportion TO his farm,
than is required by the large farmer. Let
four, six, eight or ten adjoining farmers
unite in cooperative society for the pur-
chase and use Of all the expensive farm ma
chimes, in common. Suppose small farmers
representing some 800 acres, in the aggre-
gate, should form an association for this pur.
pose, and each one pay in proportion to his
number of acres on which the machines are
to be used in rotation. Let % acres repre-
sent share, and II shares would represent
territory Of 300 acres. Suppose they pur-
chase the best mower, reaper, hay-tedder,
grain drill, two-horse corn aud general field
cutivator, horsepower, thresher, straw-cut-
ter, fan-mill corn -sheller, grinder, field roll.
er. These machines would cost about
$1,000; share being sS3.33. This would
be sum within the reach of the smallest
farmer, and give him the use of all these inn
plements as conveniently for his work as if
he owned all alone. Each machine would be
more than sufficient to do all its appropriate
work on the 300 acres. Aud il the associa-
tion included 500 or more acres, many other
important machines might be added.
This cooperation would have an excellent
influence on the social relations Of a neigh
borhood. 1t would bring them more into
business contact with each other, and learn
them that all their interests are in harmony.
We should be glad to see one of these small
cooperative societies formed in every neigh
borhood Of small farmers. II would be the
beginning of a more extensive cooperation
in other matters. 1t would soon learn them
that they could Join in the purchase Of their
necessary supplies, largely, by wholesale,
and then divide according to their wants.
They could also join in the sale Of their
crops Of the same kind, producing uniform
quality, and getting better price by selling
in larger quantity. This would soon learn
them to study commercial matters and their
own true relation to other classes Of society.
Anything which brings farmers into closer
social re lations will add both 10 their thrift
aud general intelligence.--LiUe Stock Jour
nal.