FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 73 



consigning it is a very hard matter to stop. Then again by this system 

 fruit is more widely distributed than in any other way. Commission 

 men will take greater chances on goods belonging to another than any 

 one would with his own property, often receiving good prices and estab- 

 lishing new markets. But taking all things into consideration I am 

 inclined to think that the whole principle is wrong and that he who gets 

 the profits should take the risks. In a small way much fruit is disposed 

 of b}^ billing out direct to consumers or retailers. While this method 

 gives very good satisfaction to an occasional grower it does not meet the 

 general want. There has here in Kent county grown up a system pecu- 

 liarly our own. Our fruit is practically put up at auction and sold to 

 the highest bidder. By a system of advertising we have been enabled 

 to induce buyers to come to our city getting supplies in the open market 

 for various towns and cities both in and outside of this State. We have 

 besides a number of resident buyers who handle large quantities of fruit, 

 some of which is distributed to their regular trade all over the country, 

 but much more is shipped in car lots to the larger cities where most of 

 them have agents. This system has many advantages to all concerned. 

 Outside buyers come to our market and get just what they want both as 

 to quality and quantity each day. They have put their money into the 

 fruit and will use every effort to maintain prices in outside markets. The 

 jobber who buys several thousand bushels of fruit each day can handle 

 it to much better advantage than a small dealer or the average grower, 

 being in constant telegraphic communication with all markets tributary 

 to Michigan; and having trusted agents in many, he is not restricted to 

 any one or a dozen, but if the market is ^'ofE" in one place he is sure to 

 find it good somewhere else. While it is undoubtedly true that some, 

 and perhaps all our buyers have been making large margins of profit in 

 handling peaches in car lots, still I believe it is generally conceded that 

 our growers have realized more clear money out of their peach crop than 

 the growers of other sections, from the same amounts under the system 

 of consigning, and that the prices received have usually been satisfac- 

 tory. When it becomes evident that we are not getting what the outside 

 market would warrant buyers to pay, the growers of this section will 

 not be slow in pooling their product and handling the lot through one or 

 more agencies. This sj^stem undoubtedly has merit, but as it is still an 

 experiment I will not touch further upon it at this time but await further 

 developments. 



DISCUSSION. 



LED BY CHAS. A. SESSIONS, SHELBY. 



Mr. Morrill has told you how you can successfully grow an orchard, 

 but for me or any other person to tell you how to market it is 

 impossible. 1 can suggest plans, and, advise ways and means, but there 

 are second and third parties to be consulted. First, the transportation 

 company — they must have their share, whether you have anything or 

 not; second, there is the commission man — it is necessary to transport 

 our peaches to distant markets. We have outgrown the markets within 

 a radius of 200 miles. We must get them to distant points in carload 

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