the stalk, was then
extracted by another machine. These piths were then treated to a
water-proofing process, sent to a shop on the farm, and made up into
life preservers. Both life preservers and life rafts, made from pith
treated in this way, proved lighter, cheaper, and more buoyant than
those made from cork. This, you will observe is another profitable
industry, added to the financial resources of Solaris. It is also an
addition to the fitting employments for women.

"A still more desirable employment for our women co-operators, was found
at the grain mill, where wheat, oats, and barley were transformed into
popular brands of 'Solaris Breakfast Food.' Thus prepared, the market
value of a bushel of grain was increased four fold.

"A new food preparation, from a mixture of pop-corn with equal parts of
thoroughly ground, roasted sweet corn, is really an excellent article of
diet. In small, neat packages, this healthy and attractive food can be
sold at a large profit.

"All of these sources of profit, naturally grow out of the new methods
of harvesting and housing grain, which is made possible by the curing
barns. While in appearance, these barns may not prove attractive, yet, I
think you will readily acknowledge that they are very useful buildings;
buildings which Solaris could not well do without."

"Really! Fillmore, I think these buildings are very fine! More than
that, they are wonderfully well adapted to the purpose for which they
were constructed! In this respect they certainly excel in usefulness,
all other classes of barns. In your description of them, and of the new
methods in harvesting; I have been as much interested and entertained as
though you were relating some fascinating romance. Indeed, I have been
so absorbed, that I fear my poor note-book has been sadly neglected!

"How much land do you devote to cotton growing? How has co-operative
methods, affected its culture as a paying crop?"

"Last year, we planted twelve hundred acres in cotton. By the use of
choice seed, a weedless soil, improved methods in the destruction of
insect enemies, a better selection of fibre-producing fertilizers, a
less wasteful plan of planting, and a more careful culture, we have
increased the yield per acre from 300 to 500, and in a few instances to
550 pounds. When the crop was picked and ginned, we had twelve hundred
bales of fine cotton. The quality of the fibre in the whole lot, was so
excellent and so uniformly well