Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-05-30

It Is understood that many local
dairymen and poultrymen nave
within the last few weeks placed
orders for feeds to be delivered them
during the coming fall and winter
by the Eastern States Farmers Elk
change, the farmers cooperative
distributing association with neao-
quarters at Springfield, Mass. Re-
ports from the latter agency mol
cate that the tonnage thus 1ay
ordered through the 1924 Feeo
pool compares very favorably with
the corresponding buying period
of last years Pool. This Is SAID
to be particularly remarkable IN
the light Of the discouragement
current among farmers on account
of the extremely low milk prices
now in effect throughout the East.
The 1924 Pool is scheduled TO
end this Saturday. May 81, ana
Indications are that eleventh-nour
orders sent in this week will make
the total tonnage of this eastern
States Feed Pool the largest angle
contract Of its kind this season.
as was the case with last years
Pool. Representatives OF the
Exchange have been canvassinS
their territory throughout the
East since April 21st. and are now
on the home-stretch, OF their order
taking for the pool feeds.
Open Formula Policy In Feeds
These feeds are made up for the
Exchange after formulate adopted
in 1922 by a group of outstanding
dairy and poultry specialists from
eastern AGRICULTURAL colleges. From
the very start, they have been
UNIQUE among ready-pixed feeds
through being manufactured ana
sold under open formulae wnlcn
give detailed specifications as TO
the quantity and quality OF eacn
Ingredient used IN the mixtures.
State feed laws require guaran,,
feed ANALYSIS as to the chemical
components Of q mixture, and q
naming of the ingredients con-
tanned. The Exchange policy goes
step further with its open
Formula. by stating how much OF
each ingredient Is used, ana by
nIedging itself to adhere strictly to
the published formula, changing 1t
only in the event OF q price
emergency in a particularly scarce
Ingredient. and then only at the
recommendation Of the College
Feed Conference and with the Tore
knowledge Of the feeder.
Quantity Distribution OF Quality
Feeds
Evidence Of the favor with
which the open formula policy is
regarded by farmers Is seen In the
fact that in 1922, six weeks after
these feeds were first brought out
on this plan, they had been bought
BY some $500 farmers, to the
extent Of $4,000 tons. In their
second year. through the 1923
Feed Pool. an aggregate OF $1,000
tons were sold, to over 11,00O
farmers. According to friends OF
the Exchange, the reason for this
growing popularity is to be found
in the high standards. OF quality
which have constantly been main
tanned for the feeds. with the
added inducement Of the economies
entaiied in volume buying. That.
Il is stated, Is the essence OF
the Pool idea-quantity purchase,
quantity manufacture, and quantity
distribution of quality goods.
Most people are better &C
uuainted with 'pooling" as applied
to marketing than to cooperative
purchasing. AS applied to the
latter, the pool system is fairly
new. although It has been long and
successful enough in operation in
the East to win wide recognition
as an ideal means of supplying
the farmer with his raw materials
at low cost. Before the advent OF
cooperation, agriculture bought It's
supplies at retail and sold ats
products in rather helter-skelter
fashion. With farmers actively
cooperating. they became for the