report of state horticulturist. 75 



Selling Direct to the Consumer. 



This plan requires fancy fruit, careful grading and inspec- 

 tion, a large amount of expensive advertising, correspondence, 

 bookkeeping, etc. A few have made this system pay, but it is 

 not easily adapted to the average grower. It takes time to 

 build up the personal reputation. However, it is an ideal way 

 if once developed. 



Selling Through a Cooperative Association. 



In all these plans we have the work of the individual — the 

 man who has been so busy in producing the crop that he has 

 not had time, nor was the value of his crop sufficient to war- 

 rant the expense necessary to keep him accurately posted as to 

 what his crop is really worth in the market. His dealings are 

 not large enough to give him a wide reputation and he is prac- 

 tically the prey of speculators. Right here is where a well 

 managed organization can solve most of the problems. Only 

 organized producers can expect to cope with organized specu- 

 lators. In no other way can we ever get a high standard of 

 excellence. The most desired of all business accomplishments 

 is a good name. In no other way can we develop a plan of 

 distribution that will discover the fact that not all consumers 

 live in large cities, and that fruit must be delivered to those 

 who want it, but have been forced to substitute because they 

 were cheated. The United Fruit Company brings their insipid 

 and perishable bananas thousands of miles, and then outsell 

 our own fruits in our own markets. Could that ever have been 

 done by the individual banana growers ? You know better, and 

 yet with all these examples, you tell me it can't be done in 

 Maine. 



Somebody said it couldn't be done, 



But he with a chuckle replied 

 That "Maybe it couldn't," but he would be one 



Who wouldn't say so till he tried. 

 So he buckled right in, with the trace of a grin 



On his face. If he worried, he hid it. 

 He started to sing as he tackled the thing 



That couldn't be done, 

 And he did it. 



