552 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Mr. Handy asked why we should sustain a new boat company unless they 

 agreed to carry for less price than the old? 



Mr. W. A. Smith: Before a competing boat came here the old com- 

 pany charged five cents for eight-pound packages. The steamer saved 

 this community thousands of dollars. There is business here for two 

 lines of boats, and it is to our interest to keep up competing lines. 



Mr. Smith moved that a standing committee of three be appointed to 

 examine into the question of transportation and rates of freight. 



S. H. Comings: While we pay five cents per package, they were getting 

 from the Hudson for two cents and from California (eight pound packages 

 of grapes) five cents, which looks unreasonable. 



Mr. Smith: I don't think there is any way to prevent their selling out, 

 except for the shippers to own an interest in the boat. 



Mr. Webster: We have been growing poorer and poorer because we 

 have allowed all parties to impose upon us. Fruitgrowers ought to partly 

 own and ought to control a boat. 



The Secretary: One advantage in the new line is that it will deliver its 

 Benton Harbor freight in Chicago the soonest and have it in time for the 

 earliest out-going shipments from Chicago. Whereas Benton Harbor 

 freight, by the old line, has all the St. Joseph and up-river freight piled in 

 front of it; also that two docks in Chicago can handle the fruit better than 

 one. 



Mr. Geo. Comings said that a Chicago commission man advised to keep 

 up competing lines and not have our fruit all put upon one dock in Chi- 

 cago. The motion was carried. 



The Chair appointed as such committee W. A. Smith, A. J. Merry, 

 and S. H. Comings. 



Mr. Mead: I once thought that water transportation ought to make 

 cheap freights, but we have been charged exhorbitant rates simply because 

 we would pay them. It is impossible for one dock to properly handle all 

 of our fruit in Chicago. There is business enough here for competing 

 lines and it is our interest to sustain both lines. 



Mr. Smith: The right way to ship to the northwest is to ship in 

 through cars, and there will be no trouble in getting cars when needed. 



Mr. Watson: At Fennville and Douglas, sometimes they could not get 

 cars enoiigh and the fruit would be left, so that we have some advantages 

 here. I have known freight on apples to be advanced by the old line 

 from ten cents to fifteen cents. The old line has no trouble about hand- 

 ling the fruit in Chicago, for if th^re is not room enough there they can 

 bring it back here as ballast. 



Mr. Gates read a paper on the codlin moth and entrapping it with a 

 light at night. 



On March 27, the society met at Grange hall. Mr. Goldsmith, of the 

 Squire Dingee Pickle Co., was present and made a statement. He said 

 that their paid-up capital was 8150,000. They expect to open an establish- 

 ment here, and to expend $25,000 to $30,000 in fixtures, and are desirous 

 of securing contracts for 1,000 to 2,000 acres of cucumbers. 



Mr. Brown said indications are that a large acreage will be contracted 

 about Stevensville. 



Mr. Jx tdson read a paper on the practicability of having an agent in 

 Chicago to look after our fruit interests. 



Mr. S. H. Comings said he was skeptical about an agent being able to 



