STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 1 53 



It was realized, howei^er, by the leader of this movement that 

 while much could be accomplished by individual companies, it 

 needed concerted action on the part of all the companies to 

 carry this cooperative idea to its logical conclusion. 



The companies were valuable factors in educating their mem- 

 bers in the matter of cultivation, spraying, etc., also in the mat- 

 ter of improving the pack of their products, but as individual 

 companies working entirely independently of one another they 

 rather defeated the very idea of cooperation, inasmuch as they 

 became competitors of one another, and speculators were wont 

 to play one company against another, so that the superior pack 

 did not make that extra money that its quality merited. 



It was also realized that if the companies could work together 

 large savings could be effected in the purchasing of supplies, 

 such as fertilizer, nails, pulp heads, spray materials, etc. The 

 matter of transportation could also be better and more economi- 

 cally handled. 



A conference was held and it was determined that some form 

 of centralization was necessary. At this point, however, the 

 Nova Scotia farmers shov/ed that while they were ready to 

 consider new ideas and act on them if their judgment pro- 

 nounced them good, yet they would not "buy a pig in a poke." 



They decided, therefore, that they would give this centraliza- 

 tion scheme a trial for a year and see just what could be accom- 

 plished before floating the Central as an incorporate body. An 

 executive of three members was elected from the leaders of 

 these companies, some twenty-two in number, who decided to 

 participate in the movement. The farmers were fortunate in 

 their choice. 



As I stated before the companies did not tie themselves to 

 the Central Association in any way. They contributed nothing 

 to found or start it and were under no legal obligation to sup- 

 port it. 



The work of the Central was to attend to the matter of trans- 

 portation, make what sales it would for the companies, buy 

 supplies and generally assist all afifiliated companies. Com- 

 panies wishing to affiliate paid an entrance fee of $5.00. 



To maintain itself the Central charged the companies a small 

 percentage on what apples it sold and earned certain money as 

 will be explained later. This Central Association came into 



