118 State Horticultural Society. 



cording to acreage as in 1897, we wonld have been in bad shape. No 

 •doubt you would ask by this time why these co-operative movements do 

 not succeed. I will answer as best I can. First, for want of confidence 

 of the grower in the management of his local association, and his ever 

 readiness to listen to the advice of a representative of some interest that 

 wall receive a hundred cents on the dollar whether the berries are prop- 

 erly distributed and sold or not. Second, the want of confidence of one 

 association in another, putting themselves in a position to become the 

 victims of advice, schemes and plans suggested by those whose only 

 interest is hidden in a selfish motive. It is too bad that this condition 

 exists, and while there are a few instances where the confidence of the 

 shipper in the management of his association and of one association in 

 another has been abused, vet in almost everv instance the cause of the 

 wrong done had its origin with the representative of an outside interest. 

 This condition will continue until we incorporate better business prin- 

 ciples into the handling of our products, and we are frank to say that 

 we will not accomplish anything in distribution until such time as we 

 will be able to form a closer and better business relation with those 

 who handle our products. By doing this we will be able to eliminate 

 to a large degree the unscrupulous representative of any interest, whose 

 only care is that he, or those he represents, may get their share of the 

 proceeds of our product, apparently unconscious of the fact that if we 

 make nothing out of our business we will be forced to quit and in that 

 •event thev will e'et nothino; at all. So long as the consignment of our 

 perishable fruits are governed in part by the same influences that they 

 liave been in the past all efforts and plans of distribution will fail. You 

 ask, what is the solution ? I would answer, that the most gratifying of 

 all to the weary husbandman is selling on the track. This would solve 

 the question of distribution. But not being able to do this as yet, we 

 suggest that which we think the next best thing. Before doing so, 

 liowever, we will suggest some changes that will have to be made along 

 our line of work before we can hope for much profit in growing small 

 fruits in a commercial way. Instead of packing our fruit in a slip-shod 

 ■^vay we should pack it under a l)rand, should not make more than two 

 ■o'rades, and ])oth those o-ood. Each association should seek to build 

 lip a trade on its own brand of goods. Take our first step in distribution 



