92 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Bushel boxes are used in the packing, tliese boxes are inspected and 

 shipped by the ''Fruit Growers Association." We find that tlie cost of 

 shipping a bushel of apples from Grand Junction through to Chicago 

 is seventy-five cents. We can send a bushel of apples in for twenty-five 

 cents at the highest and this margin of fifty-cents alone ought to insure 

 the success of Michigan apples. 



One of our best known real estate men after traveling over twenty- 

 three thousand miles, by automobile, covering New York, Michigan and 

 all of the great western fruit growing states, after looking the ground 

 over thoroughly invested in ten thousand acres of Michigan land. We 

 ask why he did this and we note the following facts: 



Michigan has as good land at a price that is not one-fourth of that 

 charged in the west, our fruit is as good in flavor, if not better, our 

 taxes are lower, we are not troubled any more by frost, our rain takes 

 the place of the heavy irrigation taxes and we have the great advantage 

 of being near the markets. If we just think a little, Michigan is not 

 such a bad fruit growing state after all. 



ORGANIZATION IN MICHIGAN. 



RALPH G. KIRBY. 



The many advantages of co-operation brought out by the Western 

 Apple Growers have stimulated organization all over the United States 

 and Canada. The great advantage of co-operation is enabling the grow- 

 ers to ship in car-load lots, and thus avoiding the commission man, they 

 can often deal directly with wholesale fruit houses all over the country. 

 By using iced refrigerator cars the loss from decay is very small, and 

 the fruit Avill nearly always reach the market in fine condition. The 

 small grower can not raise enough fruit at any one time to afford iced 

 cars. A competent manager must be secured, one who knows the 

 markets, and understands transportation, a man that is a buyer and a 

 fine salesman. Such men are rare, and many co-operative associations 

 have failed, because they thought they could not afford to hire an ex- 

 perienced man. 



The growers can establish a brand that will soon be known in the 

 markets, and thus will always bring good prices. If the boxes are all 

 uniformly packed, and the association gains a reputation for honesty 

 in all its dealings, such a reputation Avill aid in disposing of their fruit 

 at the best market prices. 



Better business methods are always possible, in dealing with the 

 buyers, transportation companies, commission houses and in buying 

 baskets, paper, etc. 



A good manager can often save much money by ordering large quan- 

 tities of material from . reliable companies, when some of the farmers 

 might incur serious loss by purchasing inferior stock. 



By organizing, a community may make use of new varieties of fruit 

 that one individual could not take the risk of planting. Each member 

 might plant a few trees and in the aggregate they would have enough 



