Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-05-28
Agricultural.
to.operation In the Purchase OF Farm
nn.uI . r.hnuia and N q china.

Co-operation In the Purchase OF Farm
Implements ana Machines.
The secretary Of farmers cooperative
organization in the West has a suggestive
article in the June number OF the American
Agricultural, showing the practical work Of
cooperation among farmers for the purchase
of expensive machinery powers for
threshng grain, saving wood, etc. In his
company there are eleven shareholders, hav-
ing in all thirteen equal shares, two Of the
members owning two each, and each of the
others owning one. All the farmers within
a radius Of two and one. half miles are mem
bers of the company. 1t has been in opera
ton ten years during this time the total cost
of machinery, repairs, insurance, taxes and
labor other than that by the shareholders,
has been S250O and the value of machinery
now on hand is $1,000. Threshing has been
done for the farmers who compose the com
pany, which would have cost, II other parties
had been hired to do it, $4,000. Deducting
the value of machinery on hand, this work
has been done at total expense of $500,
leaving $500 for profit and for labor OF
members. Besides, a considerable amount
of other work. wood saving, ETC., has been
DONE Of which no account has been made.
Each share is assessed an equal amount for
all expenses, including operators wages, and
the company is credited one cent and half
per bushel, or such other rates as may be
agreed upon, for threshing balance is
made at the end of each year by which the
difference in the amount of work done for
each Shareholder is adjusted, those having
had more than the average being charged for
the excess, and those having had less being
credited. The shareholder who has the least
work to be done with the company machin-
cry has paid in assessments only $40, and has
drawn from the treasury 1852 in cash, besides
having all his threshing done for ten years
Here we have less grain to handle and less
need of expensive farm machinery than at
the West, yet we have many farms too small
to pay for suitable implements and machin-
cry to cultivate them to the best advantage,
and we see no reason why two, three or more
owners of such farms, adjoining, would not
be mutually benefited by uniting in the pur-
chase Of implements or machines which save
work and perform it better that it could 9th
erwise be done but are too expensive to be
profitable on small farms. One machine may
frequently be sufficient to do the work of a
whole neighborhood of farmers and last
nearly as long as if used by only one.
An objection to company ownership of an
implement or machine is the fact that two or
more may want to use it at the same time
In the organization referred to above, articles
of agreement were drawn up, and signed by
every member of the company. One of these
articles provided that in case different ones
should want the use of the machine at the
same time, the preference should be decided
by lot, and method was also provided by
which the lot should be determined.
We look forward to the time when the
principle of co operation will have a more
extensive application; it becomes more prac.
tcable as the people become more civilized
and enlightened and more amicably disposed
toward each other.