Cooperative Work with Columbia University 46?> 



They have representatives abroad and on the Pacific Coast, 

 who in addition to soliciting business, inspect the condition of 

 fruit on arrival and see that it is not misrepresented and that 

 carting charges are not duplicated. They also keep the central 

 office advised as to the condition of the various markets and the 

 quantities of fruit en route to them. If it appears that the 

 Liverpool market, for example, is likely to be oversupplied, the 

 United Fruit Companies route a shipment to London or to Glas- 

 gow, Scotland, or time a consignment to arrive at Liverpool about 

 the time that the glut should be cleared up and better prices 

 prevail. By this system the United Companies of Nova Scotia 

 claim to receive better average prices for the season on their 

 fruit than are obtained for fruit of similar quality. 



They have also built up a reputation for their brand, so that 

 retailers and distributors in the English markets have expressed 

 a preference for it. The remarkable part of the whole organization 

 ' is that this entire system of marketing was accomplished at rela- 

 tively little expense. The average sales expense of a barrel of 

 apples is approximately only four cents, an item that takes the 

 place of the commission charge they previously paid. 



It is in this way that these fruit growers are endeavoring to 

 comply with the apple-marketing fundamentals; first, a large 

 quantity of fruit under one brand ; secondly, a uniform package, 

 and, thirdly, a utilization of knowledge of market conditions. 



PLAN WELL adapted TO NEW YORK STATE 



There are ample facilities for the establishing of central pack- 

 ing houses in New York State. A dealer may easily establish 

 such an institution in connection with the warehouse that he uses 

 and insist that all fruit that he purchases must be delivered to 

 him at the packing house and there be packed under his brands. 

 It may be that he will eventually pack fruit that he does not 

 buy, charging a specified price for each barrel, but insisting that 

 fruit so packed shall be packed under his labels, and that he 

 shall receive a commission for selling it. 



A second method that will probably come into use will be the 

 formation of packing companies in connection with cold, or com- 

 mon, storage warehouses. These companies will charge a specified 



