122 State Horticultural Society. 



]iave from i to 50 shares each — 486 shares in all. Nine of these unions 

 tdok 25 shares each. It is safe to estimate the average membership of 

 these associations at 50. Practically there are over 2,500 fruit growers 

 who possess stock in the O. F. G. A. 



The field of the Ozark Fruit Growers' Association is confined to 

 the Ozark territory, a section as large as any organization can efficiently 

 serve. Numerous associations from other states have applied for member- 

 ship. The policy of restricting the field to Missouri and Arkansas has 

 settled into a conviction. The O. F. G. A. will always stand for the 

 Ozark country. 



Incorporation was finally perfected in May, 1904, which was too 

 late to serve the berry growers that season. The peach crop of Arkansas 

 and Missouri was light last year, but it was decided to offer the services 

 of the association to the people who were so fortunate as to have Elbertas, 

 :and our manager did ship 225 cars from the two states. 



At the annual meeting in January last it was decided to take hold 

 'of the strawberry proposition promptly and energetically, and we will 

 now give the results of four months of as earnest and as hard work as 

 has ever been done in berry marketing. The board of directors elected 

 Hon. P. A. Rodgers of Benton county. Ark., manager. A large majority 

 'of the berry growers of Southwest Missouri and Northwest Arkansas 

 lined up with the O. F. G. A., several of the local societies coming in 

 without solicitation, and, with but three exceptions, they came in by 

 unanimous vote, and only one or two votes were against working through 

 the O. F. G. A. in these three associations. This was highly encouraging. 

 'Committees conferred with railroad officials in St. Louis and Kansas City, 

 and with Armour Car Company in Chicago, in the interest of securing 

 the best possible service and for a reduction of rates. A slight reduction 

 was obtained in refrigeration and a promise to investigate freight charges. 

 It is due to say here that the railroads never before gave so good and so 

 prompt service. There have been fewer accidents and better time has 

 been made in 1905 than in any previous year. 



When the shipping season commenced at \^an Buren, Ark., for the 

 first time in the history of the berry business in the Southwest, the 

 markets of the country were full of strawberries from Texas, 

 Louisiana and Mississippi — berries which were late on account 

 of the unusual winter that held back the far South, but did not 

 delay the Van Buren crop, consequently prices at Van Buren this year 

 averaged 60 to 75 cents lower than last year, when there was a clear field 

 and all cars sold on track. The Texas crop was the largest ever known, 

 and held out until Van Buren was through shipping. The unfavorable 

 conditions against the berry growers continued to the last of the 



