140 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



ing eastward, how much fruit is in the hands of each local asso- 

 ciation ready for shipment, and the quantity of fruit that will 

 be ready to pick during the coming week. The manager does 

 all this for $1000 a month, and few envy him his job. 



In order to maintain this standard of efficiency, the exchanges 

 must guarantee their product. To do this they have had to 

 supervise the picking and packing of the fruit. They have 

 adopted standard packages, standard packs, standard grades, 

 and even standard cars of loaded fruit. Every package is la- 

 belled with the variety of the fruit, the number of fruit in the 

 package, and the number of the packer. On one end of the 

 box is stamped the brand of the local association, and on the 

 other the name of the exchange. 



Each local association in the exchange is incorporated under 

 the laws of the state. This binds the members together and 

 permits legal restraint to prevent growers from withdrawing 

 at critical times. Most exchanges are non-profit sharing cor- 

 porations, the revenues being derived from a flat tax on each 

 box or carton handled. The California Fruit Growers' Ex- 

 change charges 5 cents per box for oranges. The California 

 Almond Growers' Exchange charges one cent per pound on 

 almonds, the Cured Fruit Exchange, one-fourth cent per pound 

 on raisins, prunes, etc. The surplus each season is pro-rated 

 among the members, according to the quantity shipped. 



As to wkat the exchanges have been able to do by way of in- 

 creasing the net returns, the results will speak for themselves. 

 In 1895, oranges were barely bringing the cost of picking and 

 shipping, and many growers despaired of ever making the 

 business pay again. In the 18 years since the reorganization of 

 the exchange the business has developed rapidly from five mil- 

 lion to over thirty million dollars. The cost of the orange boxes, 

 and the picking, packing and selling of the fruit has been re- 

 duced to 35 cents per box against 80 cents before the time of the 

 exchange. 



The Almond Growers' Exchange started in 1911, and the 

 prices were boosted the first year from 9 to 12 cents per pound 

 to 12 to 16 cents; this in spite of the fact that the crop was the 

 largest ever known. This increase in price added over $200,000 

 to the net profit of the growers. This added income does not 

 materially affect the price of the article to the consumer, the 



