38 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIBTY. 



of their large rolling eqnipmeut specially adapted for transportation of 

 perishable food commodities. 



The Car Line furnishes in season refrigerator cars and the necessary 

 ice for the movement of fruit in practically every large producing terri- 

 tory of the country, including your own state. 



I am reminded of that period when the Car Line by reason of its 

 tariff charges was not so popular among you shippers. 



Secondly, in 1909 I was chosen the first Business Manager of the 

 National League of Commission Merchants of the United States, an 

 organization which has for its purposes the ]>romotion of the commis- 

 sion business and greater co-operation with the shippers. 



In my present affiliation with the North American Fruit Exchange 

 T am brought closer in touch with the growers' problem than ever before. 



Few, if any, are there to dispute the success generally of co-operative 

 marketing by growers of fruits and vegetables. Through that method 

 which has importantly developed within late years the growers have 

 benefited through economic advantages and have secured greater re- 

 turns for their products by reason of concerted shipping and marketing. 



From the old' plan of the growers undertaking their own marketing, 

 each for themselves according to individual ideas or preferences as to 

 methods, quite without regard for competitive neighbors, with conse- 

 quent irregularity of shipments and attendant market gluts, co-operative 

 marketing was a long step in the right direction. However, the 

 institution of the growers co-operative organization in many cases has 

 not solved completely or satisfactorily the problem of acquiring for the 

 producer returns for his produce commensurate with the time, energy 

 and expenditures involved, nor with ultimate costs to consumers. 



To this fact must be charged, to some extent at least, the widely 

 varying methods of marketing pursued by associations and exchanges of 

 the growers now operating throughout the country. A pronounced lack 

 of uniformity in methods of operation and systems of selling is re- 

 vealed by a brief study of some of these organizations. 



The student of co-operative marketing turns readily to California 

 where exists the commonly accepted ideal growers' marketing organiza- 

 tion, the California Fruit Growers' Exchange. 



The Exchange is a co-operative body of ap]»roximately G,000 fruit 

 growers distributed among about 100 local associations within the 

 state. Through its strength of number and consequent tonnage shipped 

 over a period of ten months in a year, this federation of growers is 

 enabled to, and does maintain continuously throughout the year, an 

 elaborate system of sales oflices of its own in the principal marketing 

 centers. This established selling force largely facilitates equitable dis- 

 tribution among the markets and excepting a small percentage handled 

 through auctions in few of the largest cities the Exchange's fiiiit 

 is disposed of by outright sale in carlots to local wholesalers, prices be- 

 ing governed practically by supply and demand. 



The success of this organization can be somewhat attributed to the 

 binding contract existing between the association and its members, there 

 being little opportunity for degression on the part of the growers, a 

 harmful practice so common to members of co-operative bodies in other 

 states. 



While the Exchange is said to be somewhat top-heavy with numerous 

 high-salaried ofiScers, and outlays of large expenditures for packing 



