Winter Meeting. 209 



form picking, uniform packing, uniform grading and uniform distri- 

 bution. 



The last named is of vital importance to our success. If we hope 

 to have our fruit properly distributed, we must do it ourselves; not 

 trust it to another. How can the different associations, miles apart, 

 know to what point others are shipping? They can not. The result 

 is one fruit market gets more fruit than it can consume, and another 

 has a fruit famine. Fruit goes "up" in the latter and "down" in the 

 former. "Colored" prices are sent out from the famine market to 

 draw fruit their way. Everyone makes a rush; the famine is broken 

 and a "glut" prevails. Under centralization there would be no im- 

 natural congestion. Every market would be normally supplied; none 

 would feast to-day and starve to-morrow. 



Centralization would materially aid in driving out of business two 

 unprofitable and dangerous men — the dishonest grower and commis- 

 sion merchant. Any dishonesty on the part of a grower could be re- 

 ported by the purchaser of the fruit or the association's agent to the 

 central association. It could mete out justice to the violator. The 

 dishonest commission merchant preys upon one local association as 

 long as possible and then seeks new territory to work his "graft." 

 Under centralization, he has but one point to work upon. Having 

 been found out here, he is done. 



We can not successfully bring a point against centralization. 

 But just how to bring about an effective working organization seems 

 to be a much misunderstood question. We could have one composed 

 of representatives from the local associations, having one member 

 for each one hundred acres in the local association. The organization 

 to be incorporated under the laws of Missouri. The actual work of 

 the central association to be done by an executive committee. It 

 could have the entire disposal of all car lots of fruits harvested for a 

 distant market. Provided, that a local association could make a sale 

 after having first given notice to the central association of the price 

 and destination. The money of such a sale to be payable to the cen- 

 tral association : Provided, that such moneys should not be prorated. 

 The committee, knowing the destination of all cars, could easily pre- 

 vent an unnecessary amount of fruit gathering at one point. The 

 board of directors could be formed of one member from each local 

 point. The executive committee to be members of this board ex- 

 officio. During fruiting and shipping season, this board should meet 

 at least once a week and review the work done and suggest plans 

 for the future. 



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