The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-04-01

The association will not accept fruit
without first inspecting it, and in most
leases the association does the pick
ing and packing as well as the dis
trlbuting, for tho fruit grower.
All this is simply the result Of CO.
Operations; Of working together for
their mutual benefit and for the bene-
fit of their customers.
There is plenty Of opportunity for
the farmers of North Dakota to CO.
operate along many lines, with profit.
/ have heard it asserted by men who
ought to know, that farmers of North
Dakota should receive for their
wheat at least ten cents per bushel
above what they actually do get. This
may not be wholly true. I am con-
WINGED however, that If dockage and
the freight on the dockage were taken
into account, that more than ten cents
per bushel Is lost. Moreover, il the
depression in the price of wheat,
caused by the optimistic reports of the
yield, also were taken into the account,
ten cents per bushel would measure
but a fraction of what might be real
lzed, but is not realized.
Suppose, however, that farmers do
lose ten cents per bushel in the price
OF their wheat, from all unnecessary
causes, including depression Of market
prices by the bears. What does that
mean? Figures sometimes elucidate.
we seed annually about $500, 900 acres
Of wheat. This acreage at an aver
age Of fifteen bushels per acre would
total 1877, 500, 900 bushels. Deducting
lO,5O0,00O bushels for seed, and cal
culating a loss of ten cents per bushel
on the remainder of the seasons out
put, we reach the enormous total of
$11, zoe, 900.
Now, suppose these figures are ap-
proximately correct, and by cooper
alton the farmers of the state were to
each give ten cents per bushel-the
amount they will lose anyhow, if the
ten cent per bushel loss is correct
and the $11, 100000 were to be used for
the purpose of erecting mills to clean
the grain and thus save both the dock
age and the freight on the dockage;
and also to grind the wheat near where
the grain is grown and thus keen the
pran and shorts in the state to be fed
here. And as for the flour-well, a
few good agents, acting for all, would
find a market for it wherever -four is
needed, either in our own county, or
for flour. In this way the worlds
market price for -four, less cost of
grinding, transportation, depreciation
of machinery, repairs, ETC., and a. small
commission for selling the product,
would fix the price Of the farmers
wheat. Ihere would be no specula-
ton nor unnecessary waste of by-prod-
ucts-just the necessary expense of
raising the grain, manufacturing it
ready for consumption, utilizing the
'b~y-products. and selling the -four to
whatsoever a the cash to pay for ii,
whether in IA or shipload lots. The
farmers and their employees would
simply grow the raw material, manu-
facture it in their mills, and sell the
finished product through their own es-
tablished agencies. Is this an impossi-
BILE picture, or is it not?
The money? Yes, there's the rub.
But, come to think of it. the farmers
are beat out of ten cents per bushel
annually, anyhow, and wouldn't ii pay
to put up ten cents per husnel for a
and stop the leak forever there
after. 1t will do to think over, at
least.