Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1914-04-17
EGG-SELLING ASSOCIATIONS
Primes Edward Island Farmers Form
Cooperative Organization for DIE
pooling Of Products

By CONSUL WESLEY FROST. Char
lottetown, Prince Edward Island)
A cooperative egg-circle movement
IL making rapid Roadway in Prince
Edward island. Since the spring Of
1918 no less than Is egg-selling asso-
Citations have been formed among
Prince Edward island farmers. with
an aggregate membership Of over 500.
The largest of these circles numbers
IS members, while the smallest has
80. The egg shipments to Montreal
from these associations. several OF
which were formed late In the sea-
son, had at the end Of October al
ready totaled over $1,000 dozen. Or
gent applications have been made by
IS additional farming communities
that they be organized into egg cir
cles by the Dominion poultry expert
who IL promoting the system; and to
all appearances the entire egg produc-
ton Of the province will have been
brought under the new system with
in two or three years. The members
Of the associations have received on
an average from two to fve cents
more per dozen for their eggs than
have their unorganized neighbors.
The egg-circle movement in Canada
was originated by members OF the
stan of the department Of agriculture
Of the province Of Ontario; and In
January, 1918, there existed nine CIR
cles in that province. One Of the two
originators was last spring employed
BY the Dominion department Of agri'
culture, livestock branch. to inaugu-
rate the system in Prince Edward
island which has been noted In Can
ada % q source Of egg supply. produc-
ing from $500. 900 to 100000 dozen
each year. The results Of the On.
tario movement. with details a. to
method Of operation. have been pub.
lished in bulletin 20s Of the Ontario
department Of agriculture; but the
success of the Prince Edward island
egg circles and their rather less com
plicated organization have not ~ yet
been oflcially recorded.
In organizing an egg circle the Do
minion expert goes into Q community
and arranges q public meeting. al
which the proposition IL laid before
the local farmers. II the decision OF
the meeting IL favorable. ballots are
cast. Immediately for the board Of
seven directors; and these in turn %
lect from among their own number
president. q vice-president and q sec
Rotary, with sometimes an executive
committee Of three members. The
directors employ q competent mana
ger. or collector and shipper Of egg
and this manager Is not permitted tt
be one Of the directorate. a. his pres
ence would prevent free discussion
and criticism of his work and con
duct.
Each member Of the circle pays ,
membership fee Of 30 cents. with {
subsequent annual fee Of Is cents. II
return he receives . specially wad'
rubber stamp and pad. which remain
the property Of the association, ant
can be called in II abused. Thi'
stamp does not show the date Of col
lection. but simply the registered
numbers Of the egg circle and the in
dividual member. thus fixing thu
origin of the egg. The member Il
pledged not to turn over to the bust
ness manager any eggs more than on
week old: and he stamps his eggs OF
the day they are to be collected b,
the manager. The member Is ais
under obligation to gather his egg
twice q day In warm weather an
once q day in cool weather and he !
provided with . set Of simple rules
framed by the Dominion authoritiei
a. to keeping the eggs cool. une1
posed. ETC., until their removal by tn
manager collector.