152 Appendix. 



papers read at that convention were of the very highest character; 

 and every fruit grower who did not attend that meeting missed a liter- 

 ary treat and did not do his duty, unless it was not in his power to do 



dO. 



He who does not attend our horticultural meetings may be saving a 

 few pennies in cash, but is losing a fortune in knowledge. After a fruit 

 grower has grown his crop and he has begun to place it on the market, 

 then comes the time when duty calls upon him most forcibly. 



Do you know that one unscrupulous packer and shipper of fruit can 

 do more toward tearing down a good reputation of your fruits in your 

 district than twenty men can do toward building it up? It is, at this 

 time, when duty calls upon you in unmistakable tones. Co-operation, is 

 the call. It means a more uniform packing of your fruit. It means a 

 better method of disposing of it and it means better prices. 



Fellow fruit growers, have you a fruit growers' association in your 

 district? If not, it is your duty to go home and help to organize one 

 at once; it is worth to you, individually and collectively, more than the 

 results of all other efforts combined. It will place you in a better posi- 

 tion to meet your fellow fruit grower as a friend. There will be no 

 jealousy between you, each of you will have no secrets to keep in re- 

 gard to the sale of your crop. Each of you will put the same grade 

 of fruit upon the market in the same condition and for the same price. 

 You will be able to advise each other upon all questions partaining to 

 the raising, packing and selling of your fruit, without ever arousing 

 any suspicion or ill feeling. 



A few years ago one of my neighbors threatened to thresh another 

 neighbor because he would not tell how, when and where and for what 

 price he had sold his apples. Had these two men been in a co-operative 

 association, nothing of the kind would have happened. The equaliza- 

 tion of prices for like products, derived only through co-operation, is an 

 angel of peace in any community. Let me again emphasize: The equali- 

 zation of prices for like products is an angel of peace in any community. 

 Aside from the benefit of your co-operative organization in securing 

 higher prices for your products, it will also secure for you lower prices 

 <on what you consume. 



In our valley strawberry growers and apple growers are both organ- 

 ized in their respective vocations, and for me to tell you of all the ad- 

 vantages gained by these two organizations would be too great a task 

 at this time. 



An organization of fruit growers gives its members a better oppor- 

 tunity to command the attention of the railroad officials in securing 

 better car service and cheaper transportation rates. It commands more 

 respect from the large buyers and places the producer in closer relation 

 to the man at the farther end of that long line of commission men. 



Our large buyers will not buy from the individual fruit gi'ower to 

 any great extent. They want the fruit in a larger bulk and espe:ially 

 desire a unifoi-m pack. A large commission firm in Germany told one 



