The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-03-04
BY MATTHEW S. DUDGEoN

responsibility vouched for. This co.
operative association also takes note
of size in buying eggs and in selling
They find that gradually the public
Is approaching that a dozen OF big
fresh eggs are worth more than a
dozen smaN, eggs-that a pound and a
half Of eggs Is worth more than a
pound and a quarter. By Offering
more money for big eggs, they are in
ducing the producers to breed for
size Of eggs as well as for number.
How the Irish Market Eggs.
We find here in Foynes a good IL.
lustration Of ar egg marketing ASSOC
citation. 1t is representative of many
others like it. The association here
has built up q simple business system
that has accomplished three desired
things. First, the farmer delivers q
good quantity of good eggs; second,
he gets good prices; third, the city
man gets good eggs at a reasonable
price. Their system Is not a complex
one, 1t has no red tape about 1t, but
is simple, direct, common sense-a
system that would work in any VII
lage in America, provided only that
there we're hens to lay the eggs.
Up to within the last decade rural
Ireland failed sadly Of prosperity. In
many sections the farms were too
small for extensive grain raising and
even for dairying, except upon a very
small scale. Even the smallest farms,
however, had room upon them for
hens and hens did well In Ireland.
How It Vas Organized and Operated.
The Irish Agricultural Organization
society Is an association formed for
the purpose of helping rural communi-
ties to organized their business and
marketing processes. Sir Horace
Plunkett, an agricultural statesman
If there ever was one, Is at the head
of this society. This association dis
covered that in the neighborhood OF
Foynes there were many hens, but
that the farmers were getting little
profit from them because the eggs
were not hurried to market speedily
enough, were not tested and were not
graded and, consequently, the farmer
received a very low price for his eggs.
Many. cities on the other hand were
suffering because they were getting
poor, eggs. So 1t. was suggested that
a cooperative egg buying association
be formed at Foynes. A man who ,un-
derstood the marketing of eggs as
well as the testing Of eggs and some
thing Of the raising Of chickens and
poultry was put In charge Of the or
g~anlzation and a small store was
rented. The farmer was required to
deliver eggs three times every week.
He must gather every egg from the
nest the day 1t was laid. His nests
must be kept clean. He must keep
the eggs when gathered in a cool
place. He must bring in his eggs on
a certain day when it was arranged
to have enough eggs from other farm
ers brought in to make a fair sized
shipment.
The eggs after having been tested
were graded as to size and color and
the man who had been placed in
charge shipped them to a market
known to him, guaranteeing them to
be strictly fresh, calling attention to
the grading which had been done.
The farmers were surprised to find
that a price several cents higher than
that which they had previously OBJ
tanned, for eggs raised in that COM
munity was at nee paid, and that
consequently their eggs were bringing
them more than they had ever brought
them before. When the farmer deliv-
cred the eggs he vas not at first paid
in cash; he simply became a partner
with the others In the marketing ZEN
ture. Later 1t became the practice
to pay about the market price for
eggs when they were delivered and
later this price was supplemented by
a division Of profits.
In this way it was possible to start
the organization without any capital
stock. 1t was agreed, however, that a
small portion of the profits be set
aside to make up a reserve fund, and
thus a small capital has been grad
ually accumulated.
More Eggs Laid.
It soon came about that not only all
the farmers in the community were
furnishing all their eggs to the asso-
citation, but they were saving their
pullets and accommodating a larger
number of hens to produce the eggs,
for which they were receiving so good
a price. The city folk are helped, for
more good eggs reach them and reach
them in better condition.
1t was deemed wise to enlarge the
territory covered by the association
and three or four s%ubstations for col
lecting eggs were established. AT
each Of these substations, the eggs
brought in are carefully tested, and
after having been packed are forward
ed to Foynes to become a part Of a
: larger shipment to an English market,
The eggs sent in by each collecting
substation are kept separate and test.
ad Senarate1y 90 tina If any local sub.