Milford chronicle., 1927-09-09
HEAR PLEA FOR
FARM COOPERATION
CCOntiuusd from first bagel


wise failed to attract newcomers in
appreciable numbers. Moreover,
we have fallen behind the process a
bit, so far as the financial value of
our agricultural output is concern
ed. Ney Jersey, Florida, Colorado,
California, Washington, Oregon, and
practically every state in the Miss
issippi Valley has been growing
faster than we have, when progress
is measured in terms of crop in
crease percentage.
Holding Our Own
On the other hand, we have not
done badly at all industrially. We
are holding our own in that realm.
Indeed, the industrial progress of
Wilmington for example, has been
really amazing. Our industry is not
a financial orphan. 1t is not a
banking orphan. Now 1 submit to
you, that we are as fortunately sit
uated agriculturally as we are, from
the industrial standpoint. Indeed,
it really should be easier for us to
stand in the forefront of agricultur-
al progress than it is for us to lead
the industrial march. We have got
ten ahead industrially 1 believe, be-
cause our bankers have not only
understood our industrial problems,
but have Joined constructively in
their solution: 1 believe it would be
money in the pocket of everyone,
! financier and farmer alike, if our
bankers were more keenly interest
ed in what takes place or fails to
take place on the farm.
Bank Resources
I am told that the resources of
Delaware banks are in the neigh
bOr-hoOd of $50 million dollars. One
| Delaware bank, which twentw years
! ago had resources less than $4000,-
900 now has resources of more than
/ $19,000,000. That is evidence of
progress of course. The resources
of the bank have increased because
there has been a constant increase
in the resources of the community.
Every banker in this audience, longs
for the day when the resources of
Delaware's financial institutions
ara $250,0O0OO0. That day is COM
ing. 1t will probably arrive even
though none of us do anything to
hasten its advent. However, it is
generally entirely possible to ac-
celerate progress. At the present
time, the annual value of Peninsula
agricultural products is approx
mately $108,000,0OO. That return is
/ possible in the face of the fact that
Peninsula growers are, for all
practical purposes, operating as
individuals. Take it as a whole they
are without a scales organization or
a marketing program dumping a
great many Peninsula products on
the market ungraded. Our crops
when they go to market, do not
bear the stamp of Federal inspect
or. We do not even go to the
trouble of shipping in uniform con-
tainers From a marketing stand
point, we make about all the mis-
takes it is possible to make. AS, a
results, we do not get the money for
our crops that we should. That is,
the growers do not get the money.
AS result, bank deposits suffer.
1t is possible to do something along
constructive lines. That has been
demonstrated.
Work In Virginia
Down in the two Eastern Shore
counties of Virginia, bankers and
potato growers got together last
winter and decided to organize
along practical lines. Accomack
and Northampton have long pro-
duced a standard article-a white
potato, well and favorably known in
trade circles. The growers, not
satisfied with the competition from
other states against which they
have always been forced to contend,
have for years been competing with
themselves. Competitive selling
was the rule. The growers and the
bankers decided that was the first
thing to stop. Competitive selling
on the part of the growers will ruin
any market. Moreover, prices al
ways go down when products con-
verge upon the same distributing
point. The Virginia potato growers
organized the Eastern Shore Farm
ers Association. And then they
organized a quotation committee.
Members of the association as well
as the principal buyers, agreed to
adhere to quotation committee fig
ures. The committee routed the
products to market. 1t advised the
growers when to dig and when not
to dig; when to ship and when not
to ship. AS a result, the Accomack
and Northampton potato crop sold
for $4,2OO,000 more than it would
have brought if marketed by grow
ers who were racing with each
other to reach the same market.
And the growers added a S1,OOO,OOO
to their net profits. All of which
means, that Accomack and North
ampton bankers are better off than
they would otherwise have been.
Inc extra money in the farmers
till.
If bankers and growers working
together in AccOmack and North
ampton can accomplish such really
amazing results, what couldn't they
DO If they were working hand in
hand throughout the Peninsula? ?
The Peninsula apple, peach, canta-
Ioupe, cucumber and sweet potato
crops are not as a whole, efficiently
handled, they are not advertised.
One Delaware distributor asserts
that as a result of little advertis-
ing and correspondence by the Del
Mar-Va Eastern Shore Association
he received eighty-six orders and
INQUIRIES for strawberries in dis
trlcts where Delaware strawberries
nave not heretofore been shipped.
Another shipper says he has receiv-
ed and paid back to growers from
oO cents to dollar more for this
years graded cucumber, than he