466 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



But probably the greatest success iu co-operation in California 

 has been made by the California Fruit Distributors, organized iu 

 1901. This organization at present handles from SO per cent, to 

 85 per cent, of the output of fresh deciduous fruitg in the state. It 

 is in reality a clearing house, being composed of shipping companies 

 and individuals not growers, as well as of the growers themselves. 

 The plan is that: first the formation of local associations exclusively 

 of fruit growers, the function of these being to get fruit ready for 

 shipment in car lots, and to unite in a central packing agency for 

 marketing the same. In the second place a centralized growers 

 co-operation association is formed, based upon these local organiza- 

 tions, which attends to shipping and marketing the fruit. The Cali- 

 fornia Fruit Distributors as yet comes far short of the higli effi- 

 ciency desired, partially because of the unwillingness of its mem- 

 bers to make such concessions as will enable it to efficiently organ- 

 ize its marketing agencies. Undoubtedly^ however, it will develop 

 along these lines as the need becomes more imperative. 



In Michigan we have an especially noteworthy example of the 

 value of co-operation. At Fennville, under the very able leadership 

 of Chas. E. Bassett, the problem has very nearly been solved. Not 

 only has a better market and better prices, with cheaper packages 

 and cheaper and better transportation facilities been secured, but 

 they have gone further and established the central packing house 

 system. The Fennville Fruit Shippers Association was organized 

 in 1891. Their growth and successes have been steady and con- 

 sistent. A local agent loads the fruit, which goes to Chicago by a 

 special fast freight, and another agent receives the consignment and 

 distributes the fruit. A standard package has been adopted which 

 saves at least half the cost of the package. The freighl rate to 

 Chicago has been reduced from G^ to 2^ cents per basket. In one 

 season 6,000,000 baskets were shipped, and the saving to the growers 

 by the Association was not less than |200,000. The Association has 

 laid by a cash profit which has been used to build and improve roads. 

 Before it began this work 250 baskets were considered a load. 

 Now 500 to 600 baskets are easily drawn. The combined influence 

 of growers led the railroads to donate 300 carloads of gravel. 

 Whereas a single individual has much trouble in getting, the ear 

 of the railroad officials, the representatives of an organization of 400 

 shippers, receive a most respectful and gracious hearing. Buyers 

 have come to Fennville to buy, and competition for Association fruit 

 has been such that prices have generally been kept higher than the 

 Chicago markets. 



Probably no co-operation organization has made such phenomi- 

 nal growth or achieved so great a success as has the Hood River 

 Apple Growers Union. Previous to 1903, Hood River Spitzenbergs, 

 of practically the same grade as now, were selling for about 85 

 cents per box. The first year the union operated, the same grade 

 of fruit sold for |2.00 per box f. o. b., and last year the entire output 

 went at |2.60 per box. The union, now having' a membership of 115, 

 controls about 85 per cent, of the output of the region. 



The plan of organization is the common one and simple. Shares 

 are sold at so much per share and each member must hold one. A 

 charge of five cents per box pays the entire cost of handling. The 



