Report of State Board of Horticulture. 35 



At first glance this would seem to be a decided benefit, enabling 

 her fruit growers to have a large and increasing trade in such 

 fruits as would allow them to greatly prolong the shipping 

 season. In practice, however, with the exception of prunes, 

 the growers of the different communities have so selected their 

 trees that they are not able to ship car loads of any single 

 variety of fruit, whether it be cherries, pears, or apples. As 

 a consequence, they are compelled to accept very low prices for 

 their products because a buyer must spend too much time 

 traveling and collecting his fruit before he can make a ship- 

 ment. The remedy for this lies with the growers themselves. 

 At every shipping point the fruit growers in the vicinity should 

 organize an association. If their orchards are small, they 

 should agree to top-work their trees into a few varieties which 

 do well in their particular locality. They should study and 

 practice the best methods in the cultivation and spraying of 

 their orchards, endeavoring to produce perfect fruit. When 

 fruit is produced in sufficient quantity, buyers can deal with 

 the secretary or manager of the organization, and be assured 

 of receiving first-class fruit of uniform pack. Better prices 

 can then be secured, for by the present method of purchasing 

 in small lots from the individual producer, the buyer is not 

 sure that any two lots will grade alike. Not only is an organi- 

 zation an assistance in marketing the products of the orchard, 

 but it will tend toward the production of a better quality of 

 fruit. Each member knows his fruit must reach the required 

 standard if he is to sell through the union, and this naturally 

 leads to greater care on the part of the members. An associa- 

 tion of this character should not attempt too much at the start. 

 A very small beginning may lead to important results in a 

 few years, while if a great deal is attempted before experience 

 and reputation have been gained, the undertaking may be so 

 disastrous as to discourage further efforts on the part of the 

 growers. The advantage of such an organization when firmly 

 established is very apparent. The individual is no longer 

 compelled to hunt a market for his crop, as this is done for 

 him, and if a high standard is always maintained, the demand 

 for the product is likely to increase faster than the supply. 

 The Hood River Fruit Union at Hood River, and the Wil- 

 lamette Valley Prune Association at Salem, are illustrations 

 of successful organizations of fruit growers, the one handling 

 strawberries and apples, the other confining its operations to 

 dried prunes. In each case an essential factor in their sue- 



