2IO State Horticultural Society. 



The central association should have the power to send a man to 

 the receiving stations to see that ice in sufficient quantities is placed in 

 the cars. Also an experienced man could be sent to our greatest fruit 

 markets. His duty would be to report the condition of the fruit on 

 arrival ; the time it arrives ; the amount of ice in car ; and whose fruit 

 had or had not carried well and the probable causes. These reports 

 would teach us much. l"he central association would have power to 

 appoint and pay one shed grader for each local association and one 

 field inspector for each two local associations. The field inspector 

 could give instructions in the field, how to pick, pack and grade the 

 fruit. This is a step toward uniform grading. At the close of the 

 season each local association would receive the same price per pack- 

 age for a like grade. The expenses of the central association could 

 be defrayed by a lev}^ made on the gross returns of all the local asscn 

 ciations. If we could follow these or similar lines of work, we would 

 no longer have our forces divided by our little, partial, local interests. 

 We could have an organization second to none in this great land of 

 combinations. 



LOWER EXPRESS RATES. 



Willow Springs, Mo., Sept. 26, 1904. 

 L. A. Goodman, Kansas City, Mo. : 



Dear Sir. — I am requested to write to you in behalf of our Horti- 

 cultural Society. We have concluded we pay too much freight, espe- 

 cially express. Can't the question of lower express rates be brought 

 up all over the State at once, and insist on lower rates? Can any- 

 thing be done through the legislature? We will have to quit fruit 

 business if we can't get relief. Hoping to hear from you in regard 

 to this matter. Yours respectfully, 



Enoch Brown, 

 Secretary Willow Springs Society. 



Answer. — It would be Avell to take up this matter at the State 

 meeting and have it discussed. Think you better prepare an article 

 for this purpose and read at next meeting. 



Mr. Goodman, Sec. State Horticultural Society: 



Dear Sir.- — Some time ago in your correspondence with the sec- 

 retary of our society, you requested that we prepare a paper on the 

 subject of express charges, to be read at the next State meeting. In 



