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Show Farmers' Educational jrri and Co-Operative Union of America Matters jf Especial Moment to I 1 tie Progressive Agriculturist Hurry the threshing only when the grain is dry and hard. No man is nearly as important as somj of us think we are. Getting rich easy is the dream that puts many in the sucker class. Don't pray for a man when he's hungry; hun-gry; feed him. Don't worry. It's the devil's own job. Leave it to him! Ninety per cent of our physical ailments ail-ments are imaginary. The rest prove fatal. Some good people are so sensitive to evil they can detect it where it doesn't exist, i 1 The world soon loses interest in the fellow who is interested in nobody but himself. Every politician thinks that holding public office is the only way to become distinguished. Forget that misunderstanding and give the neighbor a glad hand grasp next time you meet him. There are a thousand reasons for changing our plans for next year, but most of us can't think of one. Education begins with life; it is the purpose of life, the means toward its destiny. It is a mistake to suppose that the man who is well reared always stays in the rear. Real thankfulness is a way of liv ing rather than a muscular contraction of the lips. Our successes are of our own creation; crea-tion; for our failures the other fellow is always responsible. ' Property helps to make men of boys and women of girls. Are the children chil-dren partners in the business? There is a leader wanted in your neighborhood to organize community life and community business. Hunt out that man and get him at work, or start something yourself. HIGHER PRICES FOR COTTON Decrease in Acreage, Damage by Insects In-sects and Demand for Staple Will Increase Its Value. "Before the Christmas holidays cotton cot-ton will reach 15 cents a pound," declared de-clared Representative Thomas B. Heflin of Alabama to a Washington Post correspondent the other day "And the cotton growers are not going go-ing to let go their crop until they get the top price, you may be sure of that. Even now cotton is bringing in some localities a price higher than that quoted on futures in the exchanges. The department of agriculture has estimated es-timated a crop for 1915 of 11,600,000 bales; it will be nearer 10,000,000 bales. The acreage in the cotton states has been reduced fully 4,000,000, which will mean a reduction of 5,000.- 000 bales from last year's total. In Alabama and some of the other states the boll weevil has been unusually active ac-tive this year, and the storms in Tex as, coupled with the rust, have mate rlally injured the crop there. The cot ton growers are not going to be caught by the specious representations of for eign nations that would buy our cot ton at prices they might offer. Greal Britain made cotton contraband in the belief that it would knock down the price to six cents or thereabouts and that then it could buy up the cror and resell it at twenty cents. But oui people know that there is a great de mand for cotton all over the world anc that there will be a greater demand when the European war is over. Cot ton is used in the manufacture of two thirds of the war munitions, and this constant drain on the crop total i bound to bring an increase in the price. The cotton crops in Egypt, In dia and Russia are not what was ex pected, and England undoubtedlj looked to the United States for th( greater part of its supply, and she ex pected to buy at practically her owr terms, but for once England is golns to be fooled. Our cotton growers an not to be seduced by the false report: of big crops here or in Egypt, Indii and Russia." 1 WHY GIRLS LEAVE FARM I X t Hundreds of girls leave the i i farm home because they will J J not live such a life as their i mother has led. They see the i mother getting old and longing t X for a little spending money. 5 And the girl says: "1 will never S marry a farmer, for I will r ? never have any money of my 5 own. The chicken and egg t v money belongs to mother, but 5 she is entitled to more, and j sometimes we feel as if the i chicken and egg money was a : c great favor and she uses it for j the bread and butter." i j It is humiliating for any worn- g an to have to beg a dollar for i a new kettle or a new hat. Location for Orchard. An orchard should be on an elevatei location. It Is not wise to set tree Ln a "flat." In low places, late frost often kill tiis fruit PROGRESS IN CO-OPERATION Attention of Farmers Turning More and More to Marketing Associations Associa-tions A Promising Field. (Prepared by the United States Department Depart-ment of Agriculture.) The growing feeling that there is too much difference between the price paid to the producer of food and the price paid by the consumer has turned the attention of American farmers more and more to co-operative marketing market-ing associations. Producers of perishable perish-able products have advanced the farthest far-thest in this direction and the best organized co-operative marketing associations as-sociations are now to be found among the California citrus fruit growers and among the deciduous fruit growers of the Pacific Northwest. In general it may be said that the most promising field for such associations is in the marketing of highly specialized and localized crops. The work of the marketing associations asso-ciations includes the establishing of grades and standards; the adoption of brands and trademarks; the securing of capital and credit; proper advertising advertis-ing to encourage consumption of a meritorious but little-known product; discovery of new and extension of old markets; securing information as to crop and market conditions; the equitable division of profits; adapting production to meet market requirements; require-ments; the use of by-products; securing secur-ing cold and common storage facilities; facili-ties; the co-operative buying and manufacturing of supplies; co-operative use of expensive farm machinery; securing of lower freight rates, more equitable refrigeration charges, and more efficient transportation service; the securing of more and better labor; and the general cultivation of a spirit of co-operation in all community affairs. af-fairs. These objects cannot be achieved without strong, capable management. If a farmer has not sufficient faith in the co-operative idea to go into the enterprise with his whole heart, to hold up energetically the hands of the manager and work disinterestedly for the success of the association as a whole, he had better not become a member, for he will be far from a source of comfort to his partners. The manager should be employed by the board of directors and should have large powers. He should employ and discharge all labor; he should secure se-cure information as to crop and market mar-ket conditions and furnish same to the members on request. He should encourage the production of the best varieties of products demanded by the trade. He should conduct packing schools, in order that growers may become be-come trained in the best methods of grading, packing and labeling their products. He should have charge of the grading, packing and Inspection of all association products, and should have control of the brands and labels and their use on the association packages, pack-ages, in accordance with the rules of : the association. He should enter into contracts for the sale of the associa tion goods. He should have entire charge of the marketing of all assocla- 1 tion goods, subject only to the action 1 of the board of directors and the by laws and rules of the association. He 1 cannot be held responsible if he is to be dictated to at will by each member 1 or the officers are constantly to med- ' die with his work. This does not imply im-ply that the manager should be a dictator. dic-tator. He takes the suggestions of the officers and members and, from those of his own experience, he constructs a ' business plan. Whenever a manager loses the confidence of the members, it ' is better to replace him with a manager man-ager who possesses that confidence. ; But no manager, however compe- : tent he may be, can lead a co-operative association to success untess he has real co-operation from the members. mem-bers. In co-operative circles the dls- " loyal member is the chief element of I failure. It would appear that owing to the very fine principle of mutual help Involved, In-volved, those forming a co-operative organization would be consistently loyal in their mutual relationship. But, on the other hand, unless exceptional care be exercised by the leaders, an organization from the beginning will be burdened with drones, cheats, dead- ' beats and traitors. When a grower joins a co-operative , organization and then refuses to pat ronize it, he Is a drone. He cannol 5 excuse himself even on the ground ol j bad management, for it is his duty tc secure proper conduct of the business. If in selling through his organization a producer endeavors to pass off shod I dy, poor-grade products, which injure the reputation of the body of whlcb y he is a member, he is a cheat. The member who uses the special and private information of the asso j elation in making sales outside, with out contributing to its support, Is t deadbeat. The man who Joins a co-operative J enterprise and then through subtle ways endeavors to obstruct its prog I rees and defeat Its purposes is a tral tor. Those experienced with co-operative organizations have known all these types. They are to be found In prac tlcally every community. They an ; the greatest enemies of agriculture I and agricultural co-operation. If al J lowed to dominate with their dlshon est practices, they will sap the energy brains and spirit of the officers, ex j haust the moral and financial strengtl I- of the undertaking and reduce thi whole to a state of miserable failun and ruin. i s The man who dissipates to prove hli s iron constitution conclusively prove: his wooden head. |
