Norwich bulletin., 1915-06-24
Work of the County Agent.

Last week-Monday was spent in Waterford studying community Tues day the agent had a conference with State Leader Baker of Storrs. We'd nesday, spent in Preston City and ad- dressed Bozrah grange in the evening on league work. Thursday, addressed New London County Pomona grange. Friday, studying crop rotation and po- tato demonstration in Yantic and Nor Wich. Saturday, office day, and ad- dressed exercises at Montville Center school in the evening.
 This Week-Monday, trip was made to North Stonington to advise farmers in regard to summer silage. Tuesday, spent in Mystic, work on the Mystic Valley creamery organization with the extension service dairyman, Prof. K. M. Busser. Wednesday was spent in conference with MT Herrick. COW tester for the Dairy Herd Improve ment society No. ?, and starting in one farmer in standardizing his cream with the Babcock test.
 The coming week most of the agents time will be spent in Lebanon with H. F. Reyes, making a resurvey of the Lebanon district with farm sur vey records for the year just past.
 Cooperative Buying.
 Before New London County Pomona grange, the county agent spoke as fol- lows:
 In considering the advisability of farmers undertaking more of the busi- ness in connection with the securing of supplies and equipment for their farms and homes, and, if so, regarding the methods to be used in doing it, the following suggestions are offered l:
 The economic distribution of farm supplies requires, among other things:
 That the economic minimum of 1on ho x7rI .. tributing agencies at reasonable cost but that more service than that shall not be thrust upon consumers by these agencies.
 2-That both the consumer and the distributing agency shall purchase for cash or it's equivalent.
 3-That the local store and all dis tributing agencies between the manu- ] facturer and the consumer shall be efficient.
 When all three of these conditions exist, it is not worth while, in fact it is unwise for farmers to give much thought to the purchasing problem other than to assure themselves that they do exist and to inform themselves on the subject as a sort of insurance that such conditions may continue to exist When local dealers know that their efforts to serve well with mod crate reward are being appreciated, they will be encouraged to continue doing so, and discouraged from doing the opposite. And again, in communi- ties where consumers are willing to accept unnecessary service, and do not buy for cash or it's equivalent, they have no just cause for complaint, even if the distributing agencies are somewhat inefficient, because much of this inefhciency may be due to their doing business on a credit basis, and to their undertaking to furnish too much service. Such a condition in a community would not, however, justify a monopoly on the part of the dis tributing agencies accompanied by ar tif1cial prices, but monopolistic condi- tions in local trade do not exist nearly so often as many seem to think. High prices are more apt to be due to the causes previously named.
 Just what is reasonable for necessary service Is hard to determine. In the minds of some it consists merely in shipping goods which have been order ed from sample or from information given in a catalogue, upon receipt of