BECORD OF A JOINT MEETING. 11 



in car lots, directly through the agitation of this fruit exchange. One day 

 there were ten buyers of car lots and on other days from three to five. 



A. C. Glidden of Paw Paw : The plan of the Delaware exchange (sales by 

 auction on the track) does well where there is much fruit of one kind, as 

 apples here or peaches in Delaware and New Jersey. The sales are made 

 direct and there is no chance for stealing. The fruit is inspected, branded 

 No. 1, etc., and so goes on the market. Last year people came to Lawton 

 and bought grapes in car lots. I think this plan will be the end of all this 

 agitation. 



Mr. Antisdale: Every package might be sold here if growers would accept 

 a fair price; but nearly every one thinks he can do better in Chicago, though 

 very often they fail to do so. For the present state of affairs the fruit grower 

 is as much to blame as the commission man, for he wants it all and more too. 



COMPARATIVE HONESTY OF FRUITGROWERS AND "COMMISSION MEN." 



A. Morrill, of Benton Harbor: We sent one year by the fruit exchange, but 

 the whole effort was spoiled by some dishonest packers. There was no act- 

 ual inspection, while all the fruit should pass before one competent inspector. 

 It is a too common practice to stuff berry boxes — put poor or worthless or 

 sandy fruit under that which is sound and good. The members of a fruit 

 exchange should pass inspection, too, as well as the fruit. They should be 

 found honest, and if one turns dishonest he should be Oxpelled. I think it is 

 not possible to watch all the draymen ; but we can get space on the boat and 

 dock and should hire our own teams — we can get them for half the present 

 cost. If you are dealing with a commission merchant, make it his interest 

 to do well by you, by good honest packing, 'and don't quarrel with him. If 

 you beat him down to six or eight per cent he will get ten just the same, in 

 some way. Some commission men are thieves, but the average of them — I 

 say this with regret, but it is a fact — are better than the average of fruit 

 growers. Parker Earle exercises the utmost thoroughness and honesty in 

 the packing of his fruit and he gets two or three times what others receive. 

 I always guarantee the even quality of my packages, having packers to re- 

 handle it after it comes from the field. I have dealt with two merchants for 

 eight years, and last season I got $3.50 per case for all my raspberries except 

 25 cases. If all would do this there would be no need of a fruit exchange; 

 yet I believe that it is necessary to handle the bulk of the crop by the ex- 

 change plan. The exchange should issue circulars to all dealers within 300 

 miles, inviting them to come here and purchase. Special express rates could 

 no doubt be obtained. 



Mr. Hamilton: I must protest against the applause given the statement 

 that the average of fruit growers are dishonest. It is not so! I am ashamed 

 of you! 



Nevertheless, several members insisted that Mr. Morrill was right, and cases 

 were cited wherein men had put bad berries and sandy ones at the bottoms 

 of boxes, filling up with good fruit; or topped off poor ones of one sort with 

 good ones of another. The practice of letting pickers take cases to the field 

 was condemned. They will cheat, and if you put your name on the cases 

 you will regret it. Experienced packers should be employed or the grower 

 should do the packing himself. The sins of pickers were instanced. They 

 have been known to put in leaves and litter, in one case a dead frog(!) and 



