171 



FARMERS' INSTITUTE MEETING. 



An interesting^ and profital^le Institute meeting was held at the 

 lihrary of the Board of Agricidture and Forestry building, Hono- 

 lulu, Saturday evening, May 12th. There was a good attendance, 

 and many prominent growers from other islands were noted. 



The important subject of cooperative marketing of Hawaiian 

 agricultural products was taken up with enthusiasm, and it is 

 believed some good results must follow. 



President Jared G. Smith, in his introduction, read an outline 

 of the organization of the California Fruit Distributors, which is 

 composed of growers, shippers and cooperative associations en- 

 gaged in the deciduous fruit business. 



The committee on cooperative marketing, consisting of Byron 

 O. Clark, chairman ; John Emmeluth, James D. Dole, R. H. 

 Trent and Mr. Eames, then presented the following report : 



''The practice of growers consigning produce to dealers, to be 

 placed on sale in competition with each other, without any re- 

 striction as to minimum price for which the produce shall be sold, 

 is unnecessary and ruinous and should be discontinued. 



''We believe cooperative marketing along the lines now in 

 operation among California fruit growers can be made a success 

 for Hawaiian growers at any time that they may agree so to do, 

 but we find they are slow to avail themselves of the remedy ; until 

 such tmie as a cooperative plan of marketing may be perfected, 

 we recommend that the individual shippers establish a minimum 

 price for their produce f. o. b. Honolulu, or Coast distributing 

 point, and refuse to consign any fruit for sale oti commission. 

 This will enable the individual to establish a schedule of prices 

 vieldino' a marmn of Drofit, and vour committee believes will be 

 a step towards cooperative marketing, which will be realized in 

 the near future." 



In offering this report, Mr. Clark said that it was only signed 

 by two members of the committee, but he believed that it would 

 have been approved by a third if the committee could have been 

 gotten together. It was or seemed impossible to get all the com- 

 mittee of five to meet. 



The report met with very general approval, and was supple- 

 mented by the reading by Jared Smith of an extract from the 



