224 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



cause of all the evil that beset our fruit trees, has been a great injury by preventing an 

 effort at cure in the right direction. As that evil was wholly beyond our reach, but 

 little effort could be made against it. 



But on the grand principle of supplying the natural wants of each variety of plant, 

 we can hardly go amiss, and may result in a success beyond our most sanguine anticipa- 

 tions. Nature is the best guide and most reliable teacher. Supply the condition of 

 health and uniform growth, without interruption, and microscopic animalcula and 

 fungoid growth, will lose most of their terrors. 



TRANSPORTATION OF FRUIT. 

 By Suel Foster. 



I have not a great deal of experience in the transportation of fruit, but what little I 

 have is quite unfavorable — unfavorable for the producer, for the carriers, for the trade, 

 and for the consumers. And while this is my experience, I also find it is universal. If 

 there are other and more favorable experiences and practices, they are only exceptions 

 to the general rule. It is hardly necessary for me to explain what I mean by bad prac- 

 tice of transportation of fruit, but some express carrier might ask, " What do you 

 mean." I will say I simply mean rough handling. 



I Jseut pears to Chicago, 210 miles by express — Bartlctt's, Seckles, White Doyennes, 

 Flemish Beauties, Glout Morceau, etc. The mere mention of their names causes their 

 vision of beauty, fragrance and flavor, to flash across my memory with pleasant emo- 

 tions. Went into the market of the great, the rich, the luxurious city of Chicago, and 

 sold at $3.50 to $5 per bushel, in damaged condition. I sent grapes to Chicago which sold 

 at 16 cents per pound, and at the intermediate prices down to 4 cents, "in damaged 

 condition.'''' 



Those fruits sold for half price, nor did the purchasers get the profit, nor the carriers, 

 nor the consumers, nor the producer ; but the best half was given as dead loss — as a 

 devouring fire consumes. How much such loss is sustained annually by the fruit trade 

 of Chicago, I am unable to make any calculation, but we well know it is very great. 



I asked Mr. Piatt, a Chicago fruit dealer, who attended our meeting last winter, if there 

 was no remedy for this abuse in transportation? He replied that there was none. If we 

 attempt to claim damages of our express company, they will say they don't pay such 

 damages, for it is expected that fruit will get damaged some by carrying. The damage 

 i--> not worth a suit, and so we are remediless. Thus to combat with our express or rail- 

 road company, is a great undertaking. 



Now I have encountered some undertakings in the course of my life, and I have 

 accomplished some things that I hardly expected to, which was done by bringing suf- 

 ficient influence, action and power to accomplish what I had in view. If a man has a 

 good cause in view, and will persevere, he can call a State to his aid. 



The State has given us all the power we need to remedy this, our grievous evil. The 

 great hindrance to our remedy, is the evil is so diffuse that no one feels its burden suf- 

 ficient to undertake its remedy. Then what we want is combination and concert of 

 action. All other trades but agriculture and horticulture have combinations ; and our 

 trades are beginning to combine for mutual benefit. I would advise this, and all other 



