MINNETONKA FRUIT GROWERS ASSSOCIATION. 113 



THE MINNETONKA FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION. 



ROLLA STUBBS, HULDA, MINN. 



Thinking- that it might be of interest to your many readers to 

 know of the success of our association I will submit a brief account. 

 Less than two years ago, a few of us met together to see what we 

 could do in organizing a fruit growers' association. We were about 

 two months, meeting two times a month, getting the constitution 

 and by-laws perfected, and when we did get it in shape it was too 

 late to put our general manager on the road to take orders (this was 

 for the year 1897); but we made the effort, and it was a success, as we 

 sold eight thousand dollars worth of small fruits at a cost of seven 

 cents per case for expenses. 



Previous to organizing, the members often shipped too many 

 berries to the same market, making a low price before they could 

 get them o£f their hands. 



The year 1898 we reorganized with a better constitution and by- 

 laws, and we are now incorporated under the laws of the state. With 

 the experience of the year 1897, we saw many places where we could 

 save on our general expenses, and many other ways of advantage to 

 the association. The year 1898 proved to be very favorable for our 

 berry crop, not so much rain as the previous year and the fields 

 averaged verj' good crops. That year we marketed through the asso- 

 ciation ten thousand five hundred dollars worth of small fruits, 

 mostly red raspberries, at a cost of four cts. per case. In the vicinity of 

 Long Lake there are nearly 200 acres of small fruit in bearing, with 

 an increase of from twenty-five to thirty acres of young plants to 

 come into bearing next year, and most of this fruit will be handled 

 by the Minnetonka Fruit Growers' Association. 



The largest number of crates shipped in one day was 800 (if am I 

 not mistaken). The largest number of orders received in one day 

 was from seventy-five different firms. 



The majority of raspberries raised here are the Marlboro for red, 

 and for black the Gregg and Nemaha. There are being planted 

 large pieces of the Loudon raspberry, as th^ are very prolific, and 

 we think will do well without covering, as they have withstood the 

 open winters two years without killing back scarcelj"^ a bud. Our 

 land is gently rolling with a good clay subsoil. In some places the 

 clay comes close to the surface. 



After twenty years of raising small fruits and studying the soils, 

 many of us older settlers are learning how to propagate to the best 

 advantage. 



If there are any questions any one would like to ask in regard to 

 the working order of the association I will be pleased to answer. 



Officers of Minnetonka Fruit Growers' Association for 1898 are: 

 MiLO Stubbs, President. 

 RoLLA Stubbs, Secretary. 

 Thomas Talbot, Treasurer. 



Board of Directors.— JOSEPH ; Thomas Redpath; Henry 



Mather. 



