By the withdrawal of Johnstone and Parkhead societies the membership of the Federation now numbered only twenty-one societies, and for four quarters there was no addition. But although societies did not join up with the Federation very rapidly customers on a non-member basis were coming in. First there was a request from Allander Society for supplies, coupled with the promise that in a very short time an application for membership would follow, and the committee agreed to supply them provided that the accounts were settled fortnightly. In September the Society was admitted to membership. Owing to the coming withdrawal of Paisley Provident Society the committee took energetic steps to make good the deficit in the output which would occur when this took place. They selected Greenock district as a likely field to tap, with such good results that Greenock East-End Society soon became purchasers and were admitted to membership early in the following year. Port-Glasgow Society followed, and after a little Ann Street Society, Greenock, became a customer, to be followed shortly afterwards by Dalmuir, Clydebank, and Cowlairs societies. Then came Clippens Society and Greenock Industrial. To get in all these societies, however, had taken nearly two years, and there had been decided fluctuations in the output during the period. With the withdrawal of Paisley Provident Society, notwithstanding the increased trade which came from Greenock, the number of sacks baked had dropped from 235 in the 48th quarter to 186 in the 51st; then there began a gradual rise until the 63rd quarter showed an average output of 267 sacks per week. The withdrawal of Paisley Provident Society had meant a loss to the Baking Society of trade amounting to about £2,000 a quarter. KEEPING DOWN PRICES. There is nothing new under the sun. During the war period it has been common knowledge that the U.C.B.S. was responsible for keeping down the price of bread when the other master bakers desired to raise it. This was not an entirely new role for the Society to play, however. In 1880 it was successful in forcing the bakers of Glasgow to reduce the price of bread within a fortnight after having raised it, because of the Society’s refusal to raise the price also. THE OAKMILL INVESTMENT.