472 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



6. Co-operative associations are able to secure packages, spray- 

 ing material and other supplies in large lots and at greatly reduced 

 costs. 



Finally, in brief, I think we have seen that co-operation in the 

 marketing of fruit, secures the consumer a better product, and 

 realizcss the grower a better profit. 



It is urged against co-operation that it is essentially a trust 

 among fruit growers to force the consumer to pay a higher price 

 for his fruit. Such is not the case. The sole objects are to grow 

 and pack fruit, at less cost, to market it in better condition, and in 

 larger quantities of uniform fruit. If a higher price results, it is 

 due to a higher quality in the product. 



The claim is also made that farmers will not stand together well 

 enough to make co-operation successful. True co-operation has 

 many times failed on this account, but true also that farmers have 

 stood together, and what has been done can be done again. 



Again it has been urged against this system by some, that it is 

 of no benefit to the large and already successful owner, who .sells 

 in carload lots, buys his supplies in the same manner, has his owm 

 with perhaps fancy packs, and a reputation already made and a 

 trade of his own establishment. Co-operation does not aim to help 

 such men so much as to place the smaller grower on an equal foot- 

 ing with them. We must bear in mind that the great bulk of our 

 fruit is not grown and marketed by such men as these, but bv 

 hundreds of small growers. It is these men who need to have their 

 standards raised and their cost of production cheapened. The larger 

 grower is not injured by having his neighbors' standards raised, 

 but benefited. 



"Association is assuredly the keynote of the future." Not the 

 socialistic or labor union kind, but the simple combination of mutual 

 interests for mutual benefits. True co-operation aims to bring the 

 producer and the consumer in the closest possible relationship. Jus 

 tice between man and man is the foundation of society. "Co-opera- 

 tion returns to the people the profits they create and makes them 

 owners of the business they build." 



All this may seem Utopian to some. It may be that the time 

 is not yet ripe for co-operative organizations in this State, but there 

 can be no doubt that it will come — must come — sooner or later, if 

 the fruit grower is to keep apace with progress in other lines. The 

 sooner we realize this, and bend our energies to our common inter- 

 ests in the matter, the sooner will fruit growing be placed upon its 

 proper firm business basis, and its present discomforts avoided. 



