Evening star., 1915-01-31

municipal abattoirs. live stock sellinet
and also the disposal OF dairy PROD
ucts. the establishment of rural credits
and insurance, from all of which Wo
expect to deduct much that is of value
to both producer and consumer"
Mr. Charles f. Bassett. ono Of tn
specialists In cooperative marketing.
emphas sized the need of uniformity IN
grades and standards.
How is the city person going -
make the farmer know exactly what
she expects for her money unless they
have a common language. so that tho
one who orders straw berries. for in
stance, shall not expect them to be
sent according to liquid measure
quarts when the grower uses dry
measure quartz" said Mr.. Bsssett.
The individual farmer. alone, can ao-
complish very little: but by joining
less advantages toward big accom-
plishment which he never encountered
before.
all done by talking. and we do not go
about the country speechifying Just tn
I'LL UP program hear ourselves
talk. We go only Nnere there is
urgent appeal from a community fo~
strange as II may sound. we discourage
as often we encourage the plan -,
cooperative organization because or
the fact that localities and groups os
farmers are not always ready for Or
ganization, even when they think they
are.
Sometimes find that they hava
had an organization that has proved q
failure; more often that they are no,
prepared for IL. There is psychology
cal moment for cooperative organtza
ton. and that is the only time when -
is safe to launch community into tt
whether It be small group Of fariner
neighbors number of counties
And that psychological moment -
not when prosperity is at full tide.
there is a slump. like the cotton sltua-
ton Is undergoing now. and the farm
efs are eager to grasp at any plan to
start their business moving.
Cooperative organization is of VAL
ue only when the climate and cond.-
tions provide special crops of commod-
ities in which there is a consistent
supply to meet the created demand. So
we do our best for the associations al
ready In operation. learn their meth
DDS. help them with their difficultie.
and then use them as models for the
new ones that desire to start We
study all conditions OF the community
nrst and then attempt TO apply the
right treatment for it's betterment.
nat about the middleman?' re-
pehteu MI BaSsett. The middleman
is much abused institution He is
Whatever he is because the farmer
made him SO. by putting on him duties
TO perform which, by the exercise OF
nttle extra EFFORT. he might have done
for himself. In many cases the middle
man must stay, but his powers and his
profits may be thoroughly supervised
and revised. From our point of view
the middleman is ore Of the elements
that represent waste. all of which we
n
method.
Our most crying need is a Standard
cation of all food packages. such as
boxes, barrels, bales and baskets, go
that bushel OF potatoes. apples. tur
nips. etc. may be certain nf being the
same in weight in all OF the states.
The grading Is especially important.
and that is feature that enters into
er is slow to learn.
Many times, fresh, firm fruits and
vegetables are Unfortunately dumped
into a box or basket with overripe.
wilted and even decaying specimens
and sent off to market with the ex-
pectation of it's selling. Too often the
producer cannot even get his trans
portation charges out OF 1t.
'Cantaloupes of one size. carefully
placed in crate, all picked at the same
time, and, as far as may be determined.
of the same degree Of ripeness. are
bound to claim a better price than the
haphazard collection that results from
lack of attention to size and condition.
where cooperative organization ex-
lists, grading will be done by the ex-
pert provided for that purpose by the
association: and to him there VIII be
no excuse whatever for putting small
potatoes in the bottom of the barrel.
trash in the center of the bale of cot
ton or increasing the weight of poultry
by diet of gravel and pebbles.
ALSO, through cooperative organiza-
tion in marketing. there will be more
business-like distributing of products.
so that no market will be flooded with
foodstuffs of which it already has an
overabundance.
After all, we are simply aiming to
educate the farmer of today to a full
realization of his advantages and op-
portunities and at the same time point
out his limitations"