La Junta tribune., 1917-05-03
RANKS AND FARMERS
How an Eastern Bank Prospere.i by
Extending Credit and Cooper.
ating With Farmers

Increase in stock and dairy pro-
duets, organization of cooperative
societies and an advance In deposits
from 100000 to S3,000OOO, are
the result OF two years trial by
a Brockton, Mass. bank OF the ex-
tended credit and bank cooperation
plan for farmers.
When the bank inaugurated the
plan it engaged two graduates of
the Massachusetts, Agricultural Col
lege to study 4he needs of farmers
IN Brockton so as to make a busi-
hesslike application OF credits to
those engaged in this industry. A
pig club was organized and boys and
girls were offered 500 to be spent
IN an agricultural education. the
pigs being furnished by the bank
and the children paying for them by
notes with interest, which the bank
accepted without security. The re-
suit was production by this club of
over $1,000 pounds of pork with
market value of over $4,000. The
average profit per pig was s6.5S,
making total profit to the men,
hers OF s2,500.
One man with seven cows sold him
by the bank. out of total OF thir-
teen in his herd. has the highest
producing herd OF cattle in the VI
entity. Practically all who have kept
records have made an average of
more than 10000 pounds OF milk
rer COW per year. The average pro-
duction In Massachusetts per COW Is
1000 pounds. but the introduction
by the bank OF high class stock re-
suited in great gains.
Other work of the bank has been
The organization of three co-opera-
tiV" buying societies. distribution of
2N heifers among boys and girls.
support of home economic adviser
and a modern tenement in the Lith-
uanian district. where cooking les
sons are given twice week. and
the publishing of a cookbook in
Lithuanian OF which they have dis
trihnted 1000 copies.
The bank has brought into the
city % cars of grain. 90 cars OF
hay 25S cows worth about $4,000.
and distributed 500 pigs.
As TO business assistance. the
bank is showing the farmer how to
Keep cost accounts and how to make
out statements, in short. TO know his
business. both from the technical
and business standpoints. Whenever
Forthy people are found who are
Interested in home production. the
bank Is ready to make small loans
TO be used for construction and i'm
provement work under the supervis-
ion of the banks agents.
Plans to purchase seed and other
farm supplies are being made by the
bank, also the forming OF cooper
ative group for the mixing Of fer
tilizers. A market gardener. grad
uate Of the agricultural college. has
been hired by the bank TO draw plans
for n home garden. recommending
dates and varieties OF vegetables.
which. in his opinion. would be the
best for this section
over 5000 tons Of seed potatoes
have been brought direct from
Maine 10 be distributed In small lots
to those Interested In this work
Garden manuals have been printed
and distributed among the shoe fac
tory workers In Brockton At noon
hour meetings. One successful man
reached by this method was ad-
vanced credit of $500 two years
ago when he was starting his farm
and last year his profits were $4,000.
This bank proposes TO other banks
that they try the same scheme and
says that as far as the cost In con-
oernad II has cost tho trust com
pany about $4,000 n year net to sup
ply this service TO the farmers in
and about Brockton but as result
Of this and similar activities the de-
posits In the last five years have
Increased from $500. 900 to $1,000
900.