20 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



get our grapes on the market in better condition, so we can receive some 

 sort of a compensation for our work. Our growers can produce good 

 fruit, but for some reason they cannot sell it. What is the trouble? 

 Where is Hie difficulty? I am glad that Mr. Thompson will be here; 

 for I have heard much of the results of the co-operation they are carry- 

 ing forward over in Canada. I am satisfied that we will never get the 

 prices we should for our fruit so long as we let it go through the hands 

 of several middle men. 



We have this year had several associations in the vicinity of Benton 

 Harbor. Home of our growers got as high as 7 or 8 cents while we 

 sold for 6%c, and some received as low as 5 cents. 



1 figured that the grapes would cost me G cents to put on the mar- 

 kets, and V-2 cent for 8 pounds of grapes is not a very large profit. In- 

 deed it does not pay. And when they went lower I stopped picking. 



While we have had much to discourage us in the grape industry dur- 

 ing the past two years, yet I do not feel that I want to go out of the 

 business; for this is a great country and there is a great demand for 

 grapes, and in places excellent prices are being realized. What we 

 want is to pu1 our grapes on these markets and then we will get some- 

 thing like what they are worth. I wrote to a brother in Kansas while 

 we were selling our grapes for G 1 /^ cents, and he was paying 35 cents 

 for (he same thing. Just the other day in St. Joe a man wanted two 

 cars of grapes and he said to a broker, "I will give you 10 cents a 

 basket, if you will go and buy me two cars." The broker went out, 

 and bought them for 6y 2 cents, and then turned around and sold them 

 to the other man for 10 cents, making as you see, a neat little profit 

 for his two carloads. And the next man who bought them from the 

 second man paid him 15 cents. This shows that there is a big gap 

 between buyer No. '.) and buyer No. 1, so until we get busy, or until we 

 get together on some basis of co-operation, I am afraid that there will 

 be little or nothing done. 



And it is just as true of apples and other fruit as it is of grapes. 

 The distribution problem is about the most serious problem that con- 

 fronts the grape as well as the apple grower now. Unless we can find 

 markets where apples and grapes are not grown, and get them where 

 there is a demand for them, we will experience a continuation of the 

 same difficulty; but when we can overcome this, then the future of 

 horticulture is assured. This year has shown that this is true in many 

 lines, especially in peaches but perhaps not so much as in apples. 



Several organizations are trying to help us along but I am a little 

 wary. I believe if we go at the matter right, and there is an unselfish 

 effort put forth to carry forward the work on a business basis and with 

 the elimination of personalities it will win out all right. A few years 

 ago the Western farmers did this with grains. Why cannot we do 

 the same thing with fruit? We have been talking about doing some- 

 thing for a long time, and I think it is about time that we did some- 

 thing. We find men with 10 or 20 acres who are having even a harder 

 time than those who have a larger acreage. I should like to hear from 

 others on the subject and, as there is said to be wisdom in a multitude 

 of counsellors, I feel sure we can get at some plan or work out some 

 scheme whereby we will be able to win out all right. 



