18 THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



and the association does not last long. In this connection allow me to 

 refer to G. Harold Powell's "Fundamental Principles of Co-operation 

 in Agriculture," which can be ol)tained free by writing for circular 

 No. 123 to the University of California, Agricultural Experiment 

 Station, at Berkeley. Every apricot grower should study this circular 

 carefully. 



Some of the dried fruit associations now in the State — about six of 

 which handle largely apricots — through careful packing have created a 

 good demand for their product, but as all of these associations put 

 together probably do not control over 25 per cent of the crop it will be 

 easily seen that they have practically no control over prices. 



Another great reason why associations have failed is because they 

 have not been able to make prompt payment to their members for their 

 fruit. Some arrangement must be made whereby the grower can get 

 at least 4 or 5 cents per pound for his crop upon delivery to the packing 

 house before a dried apricot association can hold all of its members, 

 because most apricot growers are poor and have to borrow money to 

 meet the heavy expense of harvesting their crops, and can not he made 

 satisfied to wait several months for their money. This will have to be 

 accomplished by the apricot association being organized as a capital 

 stock corporation and owning property so that they will be in a position 

 where they can borrow money to meet this necessity. This has been 

 one of the prime causes of failure among present associations. The 

 raisin growers organized with a large capital and their manager, Mr. 

 James Madison, attributes much of their success to this point of having 

 good financial standing. The new peach groAvers' association has 

 folloAved their example by capitalizing at $1,000,000.00. It is my 

 opinion that a state-wide dried apricot association should organize with 

 capital if it is to succeed. 



With the walnut growers' association the nonprofit form of corpora- 

 tion works all right for they sell out their entire crop, usually within 

 two months from harvest, and are able to make prompt payment to the 

 growers. Walnuts are largely consumed during the holidays while 

 dried fruits are eaten more heavily in late spring, and this is the reason 

 sales are slower on apricots. 



SUGGESTION OF BEST PLAN OF ORGANIZATION. 



The new apricot association should then be state-wide, and liave not 

 less than 60 ])er cent of the apricots under its control. Perhaps if 

 growers could he allowed to sign a preliminary paper which would not 

 pledge them to become members unless 60 per cent can be obtained a 

 larger number of members could he secui-ed. 



The new association should 1)0 organized with a large capital stock, so 

 that they can own all of Iheii' own lacking houses, which will give them 

 good financial standing and enable them to borrow the money necessary 

 to make a prompt payment to their members. All of the capital stock 

 should be owned by the growers in proportion to their acreage, and 

 arrangement should be made so that this stock can never get out of 

 growers' hands. Perhaps five dollars per acre wouhl be enough to start 

 with. 



