INFORMATION RELATlNCr TO CO-OPERATION AND ASSOCIATION 1 7 



than $25. A grower who has enough produce to interest him in the can- 

 nery ought to be willing to invest at least $100 on acquiring membership 

 or to take stock up to that amount. 



The advice of someone well qualified to judge of buildings and equip- 

 ment should be secured when the purchase of these is being considered; and a 

 cannery should not be constructed except on plans made by experienced 

 engineers or cannery men. 



The manager should be familiar with manufacturing processes and with 

 organization, should have a knowledge of accounts and vShould be an effi- 

 cient salesman. In the larger canneries he should have as assistant a 

 manufacturer, who should have had practical experience in the particular 

 kind of canning for which he is engaged. 



A regular supply of the right kinds of produce is nesessary if a cannery 

 is to do sufficient business. Therefore contracts for supplies should be, if 

 possible, for a number of years. Wherever the size of the business justifies 

 the expense a cannery should employ a " field man " to work among the 

 farmer co-operators, helping them to solve their difficulties, hearing their 

 complaints, explaining the principles and advantage.*^ of association. 



Some canneries which handle large quantities of berries have a depart- 

 ment for sending fresh. fruit to distant markets. When the market for fresh 

 fruit is profitable all fruit of suitable quality is sent away — the ripe fruit 

 goes to neighbouring markets and fruit ready for immediate use to the can- 

 nery. When markets are not favourable all the fruit is canned and held 

 until it can be sold at fair prices. One co-operative canning association has 

 sent as many as twenty-one refrigerator-carloads of fresh red raspberries 

 in one express train, while it was operating two large canneries. Several 

 co-operative canneries in the Pacific North West also operate evaporators 

 in which plums, loganberries, apples and some raspberries are dried. Other 

 canneries have vinegar plants. 



It is necessary that the manager keep in close touch with markets and 

 know of their demands and conditions of trade preferences and of any 

 improvements made in the canning business, in order that he may market 

 products to the best possible advantage. A large portion of a season's 

 output is sold for future delivery, and therefore great care must be taken in 

 estimating output in order to prevent an oversale. 



It may happen that cars are sold as early as April for deliver^' in 

 September or October. 



Ifi one State a large number of the co-operative canneries have formed 

 an association and appointed a joint agent, who is a canned goods broker, 

 to handle their- oiitput. There is much need for greater co-operation among 

 farmers' canneries for the purpose of standardizing output and forming 

 a central agencj- for sales, in so far as the law allows. 



