CO-OPERATIVE FARMING.

Otago Witness, Issue 1155, 17 January 1874, Page 23

CO-OPERATIVE FARMING.

Co-operative farming has, it seems, already commenced in the United States, aud, bo far, says the New York Tribune, it is very successful. For instance, the best and principal part of the cheese produced in the country is made by the cooperative plan, whether the farmers sell their milk or put in their milk and receive their pay in dividends when the cheese is sold, for both methods are adopted. Country merchants have now almost ceased to buy cheese, and well it is that they have done so, for they are without the proper means of taking care of it. Many of them are such poor business men, or they have so little capital, that they cannot afford to pay what cheese is worth ; and formerly, when they dealt in it, many of them failed. Butter is also made in factories in the same way ; and even when made in families it is bought by special dealers, who take it at the house and pay cash for it. This is of great advantage to the dairy farmer, for he is able to pay cash for whatever he may need, and he can trade when he likes. If progress is made with like success in this manner for a few years, the country merchant will buy neither fruit, hops, nor vegetables, and he will sell but few groceries or farm machinery, for these can be bought as they now are in many sections at wholesale. Grain could be sold by the farmers of a township or district at wholesale and at better prices than they now get in the retail way, and buyers can afford to pay better prices ; for this way of doing business drops out, first, the country merchant ; second, the small dealer, making two middlemen, and, of course, their profits are saved to the farmer.