FORTY-FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT. 97 



I have here a typical exami)le of the packing that is used throughout 

 the citrous industry. The grower's name and town is on the label. 

 The name Valencia, is the varietj^, just as Baldwin is a variety of apples. 

 150 shows the size of the fruit. There are four sizes. They are desig- 

 nated as 12G's, 150's, 176's or 200's, and they sliow the number of oranges 

 in each box. There are two grades, Sunl^ist is the fancy grade. Red Ball 

 is the second grade. These grades and sizes are uniform, and they are 

 standard for all oranges that are shipped from California. As a result, 

 the advantage of a uniform pack are apparent: 



1st. The packing cost has been brought to a minimum of ISy^c for 

 each box, and 7c for the cost of hauling, packing, and nailing each box. 



2ndly. The transportation facilities are of the best, because railroads 

 like to handle a uniform freight. Hence, we have the citrous fruits 

 more widely distributed for sale than any other horticultural crop. 



3rdly. Since the two trade names are standard, and since the sizes 

 are standard and uniform, each grocer when he orders a box of oranges 

 or lemons, knows exactly what kind of fruit he is getting; he knows the 

 size and the quality, and he knows definitely just how many oranges he 

 is getting in each box, and hence, he knoAvs just how much profit he will 

 make on each orange. 



So from l)Cfjinni)if/ to end. the citrous industry is characterized by 

 accuraci/ and nniforiiiifij, and these characteristics have made possible 

 the great success, mentioned at the beginning of my talk. 



Our own great state of Michigan has horticultural possibilities, second 

 to no other state in the union. If we are to bring our apple industry 

 up to the full development of which it is capable, we must sooner or 

 later adopt uniform methods of packing and selling. I believe that the 

 time has come when this is necessary. Whatever methods are adopted, 

 the keynote must be uniforinity and dcfj)iiteness. The following points 

 are essential : — ■ 



1st, There should not be more than two styles of containers. A 

 standard box for the fancy grade and the standard apple barrel for 

 the second and third grades. 



2nd, The difl'erent grades and sizes should be uniform throughout the 

 state and they should be uniform throughout each box or barrel. 



3rd, A more or less uniform label should be adopted. On this label 

 there should appear the following: 



1. The grower's name and address. 



2. The trade name, Avhicli will show the grade. 



3. The size, and wherever possible, the exact number or weight 



of the apples in each box or barrel. 



4. The name of the variety should also appear. 



4th, A uniform trade name should be adopted for each grade, so that 

 all a consumer would need to know about an apple, would be its trade 

 name and its size and possibly its variety. 



If these essentials were uniform throughout the state, the sale of 

 Michigan apples would be doubled and even tripled, and the Michigan 

 Trade Names would inspire confidence in the heart of every grower 

 throughout the country. 



We have been assembled together in these meetings for the past few 

 days for the ultimate j)urpose of advancing and developing the horti- 



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