The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1916-10-20

There are few associations handling potatoes
because nearly all the economies which the
association method of doing business is able to
secure have been already obtained in the matter
Of potato marketing. OF course, there few
exceptions. There local cash buyers in all
the potato sections of the state. These
or control frost-proof warehouses where the
yields of the different farms are brought together
graded and massed into car lots. Then there are
representatives for Chicago houses scattered all
the potato sections who ready
with checkboots in hand to buy, grade load and
forward Three important buying points in the
state are Greenvlle, Hart and, Traverse City.
Potato marketing as now conducted in Michigan
can be said to be efficient, at least the whole
Some special forms of marketing have been
developed in connection with the dairy products
of the state. The cooperative creamery and
cheese factory are old story. The farmers
furnish the raw material. pay expert for OF.
Grating their plant. and divide the profits on
patronage basis. The method has continued
long and in many different sections that the
several steps in the process of converting hay and
green grass into gold dollars is almost stand.
ardzed There are private plants well
cooperative ones. but efficiency has been so
highly developed that there is but little difference
in the results of the two forms of marketing.
livestock marketing il rapidly going over to
cooperative basis in Michigan. This is be-
cause the methods which have prevailed in the
past have been wasteful. The livestock shipping
association is of the easiest to organize,
most economical to maintain. and is the quickest
TO produce results Little is required In the way
OF capital, almost any intelligent young farmer
can be successful manager. and the benefits of
the cooperative activity are apparent the second
day after carload of animals have been shipped,
There are many such shipping associations in the
counties making up the southern tier They
uniformly successful. This is the case because
the farmer does for himself what in the past
he has paid several others fat prices for doing.
The live stock is mostly shipped to Buffalo,
where 1t is sold by brokers, and the charge is
comparatively low. The returns Immediate
ly distributed among those contributing to the
different carloads. The saving In this form of
marketing is the of the wages expenses and
profits Of the men who formerly drove about the
country putting bids on animals.
There other marketing methods than those
mentioned above, but they apply to minor crops
and do not concern the thousands of produceri
do those described. 1t Is likely that changes
will occur in methods in the near future For
Instance, there Is the hint of Il celery exchange
that will control the output of the entire state
There Is talk of grape-growers' federation
State certifcation of the quality OF certain crops
is being tried In an experimental way. 1t
is being urged that all peach growers should con-
tribute to n general fund to be used in advertis-
ing that will increase the consumption of the
Michigan fruits. And, finally. plans are being
worked out for the standardization of all coop
erative accounting, which means that
comparative statements prepared there will
be marked upward tendency In the efficiency
curve. The marketing methods for Michigan
farm CT rps are Just on the verge of a big change
r. II. ELLSWORTH