The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1883-08-09
4 True Economy.

The Mrm Enghmd Farmer thus is.
cnsses tho cooperation among farmers
in the ownership and use OF costly farm
implements and abor.saving machines
of various kinds
We gave, few weeks since, an ac
count of a cooperative plan adopted by
the citizens Of Ashby, Mass, for procu-
ring large number of valuable maga.
zines and other periodical publications,
Mt a comparatively trifing expense to
each member of the association. We
hope that readers of the Farmer have
not failed to profit by the example of
the country people OF Ashby, and will,
III the future, be able to supply themselves
with an abundance of good reading, at
rates that will be within the reach Of al!
who have any desire for improving their
minds by so easy method Farmers
seem to have been among the last to avail
themselves of the advantages Of co oper-
ative measures, but they are beginning to
learn wisdom in this direction, from see
ing what other classes arc accomplishing.
While looking at one of the new ma
nure spreaders on exhibition. in deal
cr's warehouse, recently, we learned that
farmers in some sections are organizing
companies for the purchase of such im-
plements as are rather costly, and not
required for very frequent use OIL the
same farm. Such an enterprise is very
much to be commended. Take, for in.
stance, neighborhood Of ten farmers,
each OF whom would hare use for INA.
nure spreader, seed drill or field
roller two or three days in year.
Either one Of these implements will earn
from twenty-five to fifty cents per hour,
while in actual use, perhaps more but
no one farmer may require the use of
some of them more than half dozen
hours, or at most, two or three days, in
the whole year. Under these circum-
stances, it is usually serious question,
reckoning the interest on the cost, the room
needed for houseing when not in use,
and the wear and tear Of the machine,
whether, on the whole, it will not bo
cheaper to do tue work by the old meth
DDS, or, as in the case Of the roller, lie.
the work 60 undone.
In many neighborhoods, are wealthy
men who aim to provide themselves with
all the necessary improved farm imple-
ments, but they cost too much to lend,
and borrowing farmers are not always
pleasant customers to deal with. They
often forget to return articles when they
have done using them, occasionally break
something without telling of it, and are
not always willing to pay for their use.
unless it be in praise Of their good quail
ties.
Now, an association of farmers might
provide themselves with all the needed
large and costly Implements, without
feeling the expense very much, and
would then have perfect right to use
them all they might need. The FIRST step
| Is to form real association, not an in
formal and indefinite one, coming to-
gether by mutual consent, without either
head or rules. Let the company be
formed under written agreement, signed
oy each member, with record of the
number Of shares of stock taken by each.
Then let one of the number be chosen to
have the care and control Of one or more
Of the implements, charging and collect.
ing an agreed sum per acre, or per hour.
for the use, whether used by stockhol-
der or others AT the end of the year,
the fund collected could DO divided
equally, upon the shnres held. This
makes perfectly equitable arrangement
for all parties, and when the machine
needs repairs, or is worn out q vote Of
the stockholders would fix upon tho
course to be pursued.
A stock company has been organized
that has successfully carried out this
scheme to the entire satisfaction of the
Stockholders. The keeper of the ma.
chimes otten goes out to work for others,
using his own team, and divides the re.
cripts between himself and the company,
the latter getting the rates agreed upon.
Manufacturers aud dealers may, a. the
first view, suspect that such co operation
might diminish their sales, but we think
il would rather Increase them, for more
ground would be worked, and the more a
machine ID used, the sooner it is worn
out, and must be replaced. Again, there
will always be a few in every such com.
panvv vhc use machines or implements n
great deal, and who will as soon AZ they
feel able, have one Of their own for the
greater convenience Of always having it
ut home when wanted. AS q man who
already takes two or three newspapers or
magazines is moro easily induced to take
another than one who reads none, 80 q
man who has learned the value of an
implement by using it will be more
likely to purchase than one who is
stranger to the merits of the machine
that is offered him. Cooperation seems
to be the lever by which the farmer of
this generation may most readily lift
himself to higher level than the one he
now occupies.