WEST MICHIGAN FRUIT GROWERS' SOCIETY. 173- 



fruit as they would not purchase themselves if they were the buyers instead of 

 the sellers. 



Of the fruit that is good enough to ship, a large portion should be sent to 

 other markets than Chicago, for we cannot get good prices anywhere if we 

 first glut the market which in a measure fixes the price in all markets within 

 our reach. 



I think, too, our profits might be largely increased if we could deal more 

 nearly direct with the consumer, the railroads, aud the package manufactur- 

 ers. I find no fault with the middlemen. As a rule, those of them we have 

 to deal with are fine fellows^ but our business can no longer afford to pay a 

 Chicago dealer cartage both ways and a commission of ten per cent for 

 simply forwarding our fruit to be sold to the consumer by a Marshall, Jack- 

 son or Lansing dealer who must also be paid his ten per cent. If the pack- 

 age manufacturer can aiford to pay a dealer ten per cent for selling his 

 goods, he can sell them to the grower for that much less ; and if the railroads 

 can carry a car-load of peaches for the American express company from this 

 place to Chicago for $30 or 140, they can do the same service in a like man- 

 ner for the peach growers or a fruit growers' express company for the 

 same price, and save the shippers of peaches about one-half they are now 

 paying the American Express Company, which, with the other savings sug- 

 gested, would leave the growers of peaches a larger profit than they can get 

 from any other crop. 



OTHER FACTS AND THEORIES. 



G. Richards of Ganges spoke of the great success Angus Dean, of Indiana, 

 has in marketing his peaches (known as the Otto peach, not from its kind 

 but from the town where grown) in Chicago. Mr. Dean goes to Chicago 

 and there supervises the sale of both his own crop and those grown in his- 

 vicinity. We should likewise have men in the great trade centers selling our 

 crop for us. Quite unlike ourselves, Mr. Dean sends no culls to market. 

 Were we equally careful we could make just such a reputation. 



R. Morrill: Parker Earle does the same way; and the secret of their suc- 

 cess is that every man knows exactly what he is getting when he buys Earle'a 

 or Dean's fruit. 



J. W. Humphrey: I was in California last winter and met a man from 

 Decorah, Iowa. We talked of peaches and he asked me (he was a dealer) to 

 send him some the following season. When that time came he wrote me, 

 quoting the prices he had to pay in Chicago. I sent him peaches and nearly 

 doubled my receipts; and I did the same in some Wisconsin towns, 



Joseph Lannin : One trouble is, too many peaches are raised here — the 

 supply somewhat exceeds the demand. If, instead of putting out more, we 

 should take out half of what we have (the poorer sorts), aud raise large fruit, 

 we would get large prices. There are combinations among basket-makers, 

 boatmen, railways, express companies, and the commission merchants. Each 

 combination will have its price ; and then, if anything is left, Lannin may 

 have it. In sending elsewhere, I have not got better net prices than those of 

 Chicago. Transportation charges and so-reported ''spoiled" packages made 

 up the difference. Mr. Lannin drew a vivid picture of the average "runner" 

 for commission merchants, and declared he should be done away with. "We 

 have to pay for his fine clothes, his livery, his jewels, and his drinks." Mr. 



