120 State II orti cultural Society. 



be a heavy loss. Having observed these conditions closely for three 

 years at both ends of the line, in the absence of our not yet being able 

 to sell all our products on track, we believe this the best course to pursue. 

 And would state here that Mr. Hale, of Connecticut, one of the largest 

 peach growers in the world, packs his peaches under a brand, handles 

 them on this plan, bills out his ten to fifteen ears daily in a few minutes, 

 sits down, has a pleasant chat with the boys for an hour or so, goes home 

 early, retires to his quite rest, makes money, while his neighbors who 

 handle their business like we berry growers, are hounded from office to 

 packing shed, from shed to shipping station by an army of people who 

 have the best markets in the world. With over taxed brain, tired body, 

 confused to the utmost, fifteen minutes before the train is to leave that 

 hauls his stuff he makes his consignments and, like the panting hare in 

 the heated chase in seeking its only refuge, goes into a hole oftentimes 

 never to recover from it, "financially." What applies to distribution in 

 car lots will apply to express shipments. This brings us to the consid- 

 eration of another factor which enters very materially into successful 

 distribution outside of refrigerator car shipments, and that is the express 

 business. We used to on the farm, when I was a boy, have a mule that 

 was the meanest mule I ever saw. He would break over any fence, 

 invade any premises, it mattered not how private, and was never satis- 

 fied with his share of the feed, but to keep him steady at work and feed 

 him by himself he was the best and most useful mule on the farm. It 

 is about the same with the express companies. The only way to keep 

 them from knocking doAvn the fences around our arrangements is to hitch 

 them up systematically and work them, which I think we can do suc- 

 cessfully if we can only find an antidote for his appetite. But that 

 appetite, oh, my ! It is awful. Yet they say that they do not consume 

 much more than other carriers we are using. This is true. Yet it is 

 poor apology when the others are charging exorbitant rates. One way 

 we can get even with them if they won't divide, and that is to quit the 

 business and they won't get any thing out of the small fruit business. 

 Pardon this digression. The express companies can be used to great 

 advantage in distribution by using them in a systematic way. Hundreds 

 of small cities and towns can be supplied with berries direct, that as yet 

 have not had any bon-ios to speak of during our shipping season. The 



