PROCEEDINGS OF THE ANNUAL MEETING 137 



central packino:-house. We found that the fruit, while it might be 

 honestly packed, lacked uniformity, as every man had a different idea 

 as to what the j^rade jshould be; or the man who had not taken pains 

 10 grow nice, large, fancy fruit, and not seeing his neighbor's, naturally 

 thought his was as good as any one's and marked it the best. He had 

 No. 1, while his neighbor's No. 2 was really better than his No. 1, and as it 

 all went into the same consignment, or was sold to the same man, he 

 naturally thought of receiving pay for it on the same basis. Both were 

 marked No. ], and as he did not understand the condition or facts of 

 the case, the consignee thought there was fraud somewhere, hence sold 

 it the best he could and made out his account of sales of the whole lot 

 together for a little more than enough to cover the freight and com- 

 mission, claiming that fruit was dishonestly put up. So the man who 

 had the line fruit had to suffer loss and pay the freight on the poorer 

 fruit. It was too late, amid the rush and enormous crop on hand, ta 

 rectify our mistakes then, but we struggled on to the close of the season, 

 very much discouraged with the outcome, as a whole; yet I could see, 

 with the close connection I had with the business, that it had not been 

 an entire failure, as it had opened to my view a better plan that I w'as 

 sure would prove a success. That plan was the central packing-house 

 system, where all fruit should be broujiht to the house ungraded and 

 unpacked, to be uniformly graded and packed under our general man- 

 agement. So, with this end in view, we went to wofk to reorganize and 

 to incorporate under the state law. This we accomplished, then set to 

 work to erect a suitable building for the work, which we have finished. 

 We operated under the improved plan the past season, with very satis- 

 factory results. While some of the matter of detail may not have been 

 perfect, yet the plan and system is. We make three grades, which we 

 warrant to be as represented throughout the basket. This refers to size 

 more particularly. Grades once established are never changed, so when 

 buyer gets one lot he can order again and be sure of receiving the grade 

 bearing the same mark, and it has been the means, as was expected, of 

 bringing the buyers right to our door. It has established a home market 

 for most of our fruit, as buyers can see just what they are getting, and 

 after satisfying themselves that we mean business they can go home and 

 order by wire just what they want, as they have done the past season. 

 After the fruit of any member has been graded and packed, and he given 

 credit for what he had, it loses its identity and becomes the company's 

 property and is so disposed of. 



Although we have had only one season's experience, yet we are all 

 satisfied, and have no desire of returning to the old way. It makes less 

 work and worry at home, and can be done at less exjieuse. We are 

 all of the opinion that if we had operated upon this plan in '96 we 

 would have made some mone}' out of our peaches that year, as good 

 fruit always sells at a fair price, and every one would have gotten pay 

 for just what he had. We are of opinion that if the system were adopted 

 in more of the fruitgrowing sections it W'Ould be a long step in the right 

 direction to overcome the reputation we have as a state of putting on the 

 market so much trash, and we can heartily recommend the central pack- 

 ing-house system. 

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