HOI^LAND - CO-OPERATION AXD ASSOCIATION 



the " sales ". Cultivation is more and more specialized to meet the demands 

 of the export trade which asks for large quantities of one kind of produce. 



Some figures as to the "sale" of I^oosduinen may give an idea of the 

 evolution of these institutions, which are provided with entirely modern 

 technical plant and conduct sales by a method which avoids all possibility 

 of controversy. 



This " sale " was founded on lo April 1900. Its first season saw 164 

 sales, involving 213,226 florins' worth of vegetables and 25,191.55 flo- 

 rins for market rights, or 238,471.55 florins in all. In 1901 an increased num- 

 ber of members brought hardly any increase otherwise : the value of the 

 vegetables was 239,539.01 florins, minus 29,618 florins for those withdrawn, 

 and market rights amounted to 29,618 florins, giving a total of 274,850.76 

 florins. The decision was then taken to oblige the members to take part 

 in the sale and forbid them to do business themselves with individuals. 

 All did not obey this behest ; but 1902 by 182 sales yielded 408,682.4 + 

 2,647.48 + 44,408.44 florins — 455,738.33 florins. In 1903 the bad weather 

 caused a slight fall, but 1904 was a good year which gave a total of 

 563,056.83 florins. The installation of heated houses caused the total to 

 rise in 1905 to 705,294.84 florins and in 1906 to 836,654.11 florins. In 

 1907 a new site for sales was established and the result was that sales brought 

 in 1,054,227.98 florins. The increase in 1908 to 1,064,671.65 florins was 

 slight because harvests were good everj^where, the institution of sales was 

 popularized, and competition was therefore strengthened. The number 

 o^ buyers was moreover less and the market consequently narrowed. The 

 directors of the sale therefore began to contemplate a general association 

 of all the sales and a large foreign propaganda. The following years — 

 1909 to 1 91 2 — showed only the slightest progress, and this, according to 

 Mr. Marrewrijk, indicates a glut of the Dutch market and the absolute ne- 

 cessity of entering into relations with foreign consumers. 



Energetic growers would certainly have found the road to bring them 

 slowly but surely to the goal of their organization if the extraordinary cir- 

 cumstances of the European war had not precipitated events. Direct rela- 

 tions with all consumers beyond the sea and the eastern and southern 

 frontiers were created by the governments themselves ; a union of all the 

 " sales " has been fully formed. The return of normal conditions will find 

 Dutch market-gardeners more united and stronger than ever, and largely, 

 with the exception of growers of flowers and ornamental plants, much richer 

 than they used to be. 



