Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1916-08-25


For three years prior to April Is
of the present year ] had charge of
the -four, feed and hay department of
Bolster G. Barnes grocery of Olym-
pia. During that time l attended sew
eral meetings of business men at the
rooms of the Chamber of Commerce,
and l can truthfully say that neither
the merchants nor the Chamber of
Commerce ever suggested or proposed
anything to the detriment of the
farmer
Suggests One Example.
At one meeting we conferred with
Mr.. Van Houten, who was at that
time county agent, in regard to Sc
lecting seed potatoes for our custo-
mers. Each merchant suggested a
variety that seemed to give the best
satisfaction to his trade. AS re-
suit we agreed on there varieties for
main crop potatoes, which were, if /
remember correctly, the Pride of
Nultnomah, the Melted Gems and the
White Star.
From the different varieties sug-
gested the county agent found those
three the best adapted to this local
ity. The merchants agreedl to pro-
cure them and sell them to the farm
ers at the smallest cost possible.
bought a carload of Pride of
Nultnomah potatoes from Page &
Son of Portland, and with the help
of the county agent disposed of them
In very short order, with the result
that our customers the next fall and
winter brought US the best and most
marketable potatoes the store had
ever handled.
That illustrates only one of good
many instances where the business
men, the Chamber of Commerce and
the county agent, could and did work
together for the good of the whole
community.
The Chamber of Commerce is sure
IL q great benefit to the city. The
grocer Is certainly necessary to the
convenience of the farmer as we'll as
to the city resident. He is our dis
tributing agent, provided our produce
conforms to the demands of his city
customers. We can't expect him to
buy our products in excess of the de-
mand he has for them, neither car
We expect him to force his city trade
to use inferior fruit, vegetables, but.
ter, etc., because we have neglected
to learn the quantity and the quality
OF the various products his trade de-
mands.
Here is where the county agent
comes in again-he invites the gro
GERS to meet with him, gets them to
suggest what their trade requires
then he takes it up with the farmer
advises what crop his ground Is best
adapted to produce, and the amount
Of ground to be planted to best meet
market conditions.
We could soon overcome overprO-
duction If we all tried to be of little
help instead of a hindrance. Let US
farmers organize and boost for the
farmer like the Chamber of Com
merce and the merchants do for the
city, and instead of bucking against
the city organizations, let US, through
our representative, the county agent
cooperate with them and be friends
rather than enemies.
Favors Grade Cow.
And now l would like to say a
word in behalf of the despised and
misused grade cow. Every farm
paper always has from one to a dozen
articles advising the farmer ano
dairymen to get rid of the grade COW
and buy pure bred stock. They dom
seem to realize that in this heavily
wooded section poor man must clear
and build up his land and live at the
same time.
Suppose, for instance, every farmer
In Thurston county were to sell all OF
his grade cows and buy pure bred
cows. Does anyone believe the coun'
ty assessor would find Is more milct
cows in the county next year than we
have this year? 1t isn't likely that
the creameries would have to enlarge
their plants to take care of the addi-
tional output, either.
Good pure bred cows cost far more
money than the average Thurston
county farmer can afford to pay fol-
them, while good grade cow can be
bought reasonably cheap. would