170 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



July, 1910 



Fruit Growers Profiting Through Co-operation 



A MEETING of the Co-operative Fruit 

 Growers of Ontario was held in To- 

 ronto on June 14. This organization 

 represents the various co-operative fruit 

 growers' associations of the province. The 

 meeting was not as well attended as the one 

 held in 19()9. A late season and consequent 

 rush of work accounted for this difference, 

 as was evidenced hy the letters sent hy 

 those who could not attend. 



The supplies committee reported that the 

 Association had handled this year approxi- 

 mately $4,000 worth of such goods as spray 

 numps, hose, copper sulphate, arsenate of 

 lead, sulphur, lime concentrated lime sul- 

 phur, ijackages, fertilizers, etc. Eighteen of 

 the local associations purchased more or less 

 of these goods, and considering that this 

 was the first year that the central organiza- 

 tion had handled the .supplies direct, those 

 of the members present were much pleased 

 with the result. The a.ssociations were not 

 only able to secure the goods at the lowest 

 possible price, but in every case the mate- 

 rials were of the very best quality. A choice 

 was always given in any of the materials 

 where there were two or three kinds of prac- 

 tically the same quality, and the local asso- 

 ciations could choose between them if there 

 was any difference in nrice. It was felt 

 that with all of the local associations in the 

 province purchasing their suppliers through 

 the Provincial Association an enormous 

 business could be worked up in this way. 

 The managers present reported that the sup- 

 ply business proved to be one of the most 

 attractive features to the members of their 

 local associations. A vote of thanks was 

 passed to the committee having this matter 

 in charge. 



It was decided to again issue a pamphlet 

 giving the names of the various co-operative 

 shipping associations with their secretaries 

 or managers, and their probable output for 

 the present year. Such a circular has been 

 issued for the past three years and has been 

 widely distributed throughout the West, in 

 Great Britain and locally in Ontario, and is 

 of marked assistance in attracting buyers. 

 The pamphlet will be increased in size so 

 as to give additional information which will 

 be of value to prospective buyers of fruit. 



WILL INCORPORATE. 



The meeting decided to seek incorporat'on 

 under the provincial laws for the carrying 

 on of the general business with the local as- 

 .sociations in all kinds of supplies and also 

 for the sale, if found necessary, of the fruit 

 of those associations that desire to place 

 this matter with the Provincial Association. 

 In many parts of the country there are fruit 

 growers who would willingly co-operate for 

 the packing of their apples and other fruits 

 if the selling end of the business was ar- 

 ranged for them. It was recognized that a 

 start should be made along these lines, and 

 a circular will be issued to the local associa- 

 tions asking how many there are who will 

 place all or part of their fruit with the Cen- 

 tral Association for sale, if an efficient man- 

 ager can be engaged and arrangements sat- 

 isfactorily concluded for the financial end 

 of the business to be left in the hands of the 

 local secretary or manager. 



In connection with the incorporation of 

 the Co-operative Fruit Growers, it was de- 

 cided to ask each local assoc-ation to take 

 five shares of $10.00 each, ten per cent, of 

 the amount 'to be paid down now, all local 

 associations purchasing from $100 to $500 

 of supplies to be given a discount of two 

 per cent, in payment for the same, from 

 $500 up to $1,000 and over, three per cent., 

 all associations placing apples for sale with 



the Central organization to pay ten cents 

 per barrel up to 1,000 barrels, nine cents 

 from 1.000 to 2,000, eight cents from 2,000 

 to 5,000 and seven cents from 6,000 to 10,- 

 000 or more. Prior to the securing of the 

 charter and the issuing of the stock, the 

 previous arrangement whereby each associa- 



tion paid a yearly fee of $5.00 will be con- 

 linued. Thi ;, of course, entitles each asso- 

 ciation to the special rates on supplies and 

 the weekly croj) reports which are sent out 

 from the Central office. 



Mr. McNeill, the Chief of the Fruit Di- 

 vision, Department of Agriculture Ottawa, 

 spoke on the requirements that would be 

 necessary where the Central Association sold 

 fruit for the locals. He stated that strict 



