TWENTIETH ANNUAL MEETING. 105 



transportation i^roblem. Very few men can understand how it is that 

 grapes can be transported from the state of New York to Chicago for 

 about one half what they can be sent from this state for; but the reason is 

 that all east and west roads are compelled to haul a great many empty cars 

 west, after grain, and are glad to load with anything that will pay running 

 expenses; while most of our Michigan roads are hauling their heavy loads 

 toward Chicago and their empty cars the other way. In this respect we 

 labor under a disadvantage. Our steamboat lines are giving us excellent 

 service from the lake ports, at moderate prices, but of course they can not 

 give us as low rates as they might if they could get full loads of profitable 

 freight back. 



We must also bear in mind that the day is past when a shortage of any 

 article can exist long in any large city, unless it exists all over the country, 

 as the railroads and steamboats are constantly engaged in distributing our 

 products, and with the refrigerator cars and rapid train service of today 

 any advance in price in any city is met with a full supply as soon as the 

 telegraph and steam can accomplish it. 



Another element to consider is the immense cold-storage houses in 

 operation, and being constructed, in all our large cities. Apples are now 

 put into cold-storage in October, to be taken out in May, at a cost of 50 

 cents per barrel; and if sound when put in they come out sound, as they 

 are kept at a desired temperature without a variation of more than one 

 degree. Other fruits are kept for a shorter period, very successfully, 

 thereby equalizing the supply; and soon it will be no object for any farmer 

 to hold his fruit for higher j)rices, as it can be done so much better in the 

 cities. 



Another element which must result in good to the Michigan fruitgrower, 

 is the tariff legislation of 1890, which places 25 cents per bushel on apples 

 and a corresponding duty on other fruits and fruit products. Of course, 

 in a season of general failure, like 1890, there is no trouble to sell fruit; 

 but our experience has been that in years of plenty our Canadian 

 neighbors have filled our markets full of good apples in good three-bushel 

 barrels, and a great many Michigan apples have rotted down ; and the cash 

 which should have gone to some citizen of the United States has gone to 

 Canada or Nova Scotia. Although we have deserved just such punish- 

 ment, it is not likely to occur again as long as our new tariff law stands; 

 but unless our Michigan farmers will now come to the front and give the 

 consumer as good fruit, in full-size packages, as our Canadian friends 

 have done, I should be in favor of removing the tariff and letting the best 

 man win. 



On the whole, the future is bright enough for bright men who keep 

 abreast of the times, but for the sluggard or the ignorant man it is certainly 

 very dark financially. We can each determine for ourselves which course 

 to pursue, and no doubt will reap a reward according to our merits. 



Mr. L. H. Stoddard of Kalamazoo remarked that it was a disgrace to 

 Kalamazoo county that there had been no greater attendance, both on 

 account of the celery and the fruit interests. There are scores of growers 

 of one or the other who should have been at every session. Referring to 

 the bad results of irregular sizes of packages, he asked if he could afford, 

 in marketing his fruit in the city, to sell in dry measure quarts instead of 

 wine measure quarts, and three-bushel barrels instead of two and three 



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