154 Mississippi Valley Horticultural Society. 



not be done without, first, suitable cars. The express companies ought to 

 see, without being told, that the more perfect they can deliver fruit to the 

 consumer the more will be used and the more money thoy will get. They 

 do not seem to be fully alive to this, and do not take the trouble to have such 

 cars provided. If the exj^ress companies of the West and Southwest insisted 

 that railroads should provide such cars as they needed, it would not be long 

 before they had them. Suppose, however, the railroads should refuse; does 

 any one who pays the charges sujipose the express companies could not well 

 afford to make the changes needed at their own expense ? 



These companies must be used, to a great extent, for long distances by us 

 all. If we could avoid their use they would have provided everything needed 

 long ago; they would now be running after you with new devices, trying to 

 convince you it was to your interest to use them. Now they seem to think 

 there is no need that they should take particular care of what they get, as 

 they will get it any way. This is their mistake, as now, within any reasona- 

 ble distance of Chicago, dealers have come to know, by experience, that even 

 tender fruits shipped to-day reach them better by freight to-morrow than by 

 express to-day, though they go in common freight cars. How much better 

 they will go and how much further they will carry when the railroad com- 

 panies give us better cars, you can readily see. 



They make another mistake, also. If they would ileliver the fruit in all 

 cases at all points in the best possible shape, they would largely increase their 

 business in this line, as dealers would order again and again, and increase 

 their orders when they could do so without the losses they suffer under ex- 

 isting circumstances, whereas, many times they give it up in disgust, being 

 satisfied they can not follow it without loss. They should also remember that 

 fresh fruit is peculiar to itself; each day's consumption closes with that day. 

 We do not eat twice as much to-morrow because we had none to-day. If we 

 get none to-day, the profit nn what might have been used is gone irretrieva- 

 bly. Giving it the care it should have, will induce constant orders from all 

 parts of the country. Constant orders means daily consumption and more 

 gain to all parties, transportation companies included. 



There is, however, a question of right and wrong coming in here which no 

 one should ignore. We all believe that express charges arc more than they 

 should be; this mayor may not be so; they ask it, and get it, and make 

 money. They are common carriers, and should of their own free will du all 

 that could be done to transport the goods intrusted to them in the best pos- 

 sible manner. After the master has been jiroperly presented to them, and 

 time enough elapsed, and no disposition shown to remcdj' the evils, it is a 

 question, if it were not possible to collect damages through the courts for loss 

 and damage by neglect. Money is said to be the soul of corporations. Plenty 

 of good ca.ses can be made up in Chicago on Mississippi strawberries and 

 green vegetables. The case should l)e a common one, as all are interested. 



Express cars transporting tender fruits and vegetables from the South to 

 the North, and through the North, in tlif early .spring, when the weather is 



