74 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



tend to protect the reputation of Maine as a fruit producing 

 state ? I am aware that such a measure would meet with oppo- 

 sition, and have little hope that action of the nature indicated 

 can, at present, be secured ; but the suggestion is presented for 

 the serious consideration of the fruit growers here assembled. 

 Nearly all of the raw material which the farmer buys, — his fer- 

 tilizers, his seeds, his feeds — are subject to legislative restrictions ; 

 shall he then object if the products he offers for sale are placed 

 under similar restrictions? Do those who object to such a meas- 

 ure dare stand up and give their real reason for such objection? 



CO-OPERATIVE MARKETING. 



For many years the farmers of New England have recognized 

 the importance of co-operation in purchasing their supplies. The 

 importance of the Grange in this direction is too well known to 

 require discussion. But in the co-operative marketing of produce 

 little advance has been made. This is a day of trusts, combines 

 and syndicates, and in order to protect his interests, decrease 

 expenditures and facilitate the distribution of his products, the 

 farmer and fruit grower must fall into line. Co-operative cream- 

 eries and cheese factories with or without the aid of outside cap- 

 ital, have been tried with varying degrees of success. In every 

 instance, however, so far as I am aware, failure has come as a 

 result of petty bickerings and jealousies and failure to grasp the 

 full measure of the situation. The same principle might well 

 be applied to the marketing of fruits, vegetables and other farm 

 products. In this direction we may learn from the experiences 

 of our friends in California, where some fifty co-operative mar- 

 keting societies are doing business at present, and where the 

 individual is so severely handicapped by expense of transporta- 

 tion that practically all of the business is done through these 

 associations. Now I am aware that the millenium has not yet 

 arrived, and that there are serious difficulties to overcome, never- 

 theless there is no doubt that untold benefits will result if the 

 fruit growers of the State of Maine will unite in larger or smaller 

 groups, establish cold storage plants, charter cars and if neces- 

 sary vessels, employ trusted agents to look after the details of 

 transportation and distributing points, and guarantee the quality 

 of the goods put upon the market. I can at this time touch but 

 briefly some of the more important points here suggested, and 



