CO-OPERATION AMONG FRUIT GROWERS. 



^9 



.pose of handling fruit and buying supplies 

 in a co-operative way, and for the further 

 purpose of bringing the united influence of 

 all to bear with a view of securing better 

 transportation facilities in the interest of all. 



That, for the purpose of developing such 

 organizations, a committee be formed, 

 charged with the duty, acting in unison with 

 the local directors in promoting the work of 

 the organization during the coming winter, 

 and that the president be charged with the 

 special dvity of attending meetings called by 

 the local organizations for the purpose of 

 assisting and completing the woik of organ- 

 izing. 



That the Organization Committee shall 

 consist of G. W. Cady, Leamington, for the 

 western district ; Robt. Thompson, St. 

 Catharines, for the Niagara district ; A. W. 

 Peart, for the Burlington district; A. E. 

 Sherrington, for the northern district ; and 

 Wm. Rickard, M.P.P., for the eastern dis- 

 trict. 



And further, that the Executive be in- 

 structed to provide funds to meet the neces- 

 sary expenses of those named while carry- 

 ing on the work assigned th'em. 



At a subsequent meeting of this commit- 

 tee the secretary, Mr. G. C. Creelman, was 

 instructed to correspond with the various 

 local fruit growers organizations ofifering 

 aid in the formation of co-operative associa- 

 tions or unions, and inviting further con- 

 ference upon questions of detail. 



FRUIT DEALERS WOULD BUY FROM A UNION. 



4<^|AHE views expressed by Mr. Owen," 

 X said H. W. Dawson, of Toronto, 

 " are the vie^vs I have entertained for a long 

 time. I have always contended that co- 

 operation, with central packing houses, is 

 the proper system of handling our fruit 

 trade. By this means, even when unusual 

 production occurs, and a glut is inevitable, 

 that glut can be confined to one particular 

 locality and general market demoralization 



avoided. The best exemplification of the 

 working out of the co-operative system is 

 seen in the handling of the Texas tomato 

 crop. That is handled by one man sta- 

 tioned at St. Louis, and the system is so 

 thorough that congestion is absolutely 

 avoided. The grading is also so perfect 

 that you can order a car of Texas tomatoes 

 by grade and feel perfectly secured you will 

 get just what you order. Despite our large 

 production of peaches in Canada, you can 

 not do that with peaches in this country. I 

 am a commission merchant, but I would 

 sooner be an outright buyer if. I could deal 

 with organizations formed on the plan out- 

 lined by Mr. Owen." 



ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE CANNING INDUSTRY 



MUCH has already been written in 

 these pages about the importance to 

 fruit growers of encouraging the canning 

 and evaporating of our fruits, in order that 

 we may thus dispose of the No. 2 grades at 

 home. If this were done there is no doubt 

 that far higher prices could be obtained for 

 our No. I goods. The high tariff, how- 

 ever, in refined sugar imported from abroad 

 has been a serious obstacle in the way of the 

 development of this industry in Canada, 

 making it difficult to compete with foreign 

 canners, notwithstanding the abundance of 

 cheap fruit in our province. 



In view of this evident hindrance to the 

 development of fruit growing in Ontario, 

 the following resolution was unanimously 

 passed by the Association : 



That, whereas, during the season just passed, 

 thousands upon thousands of baskets of tender 

 fruits rotted upon the ground, while in Great 

 Britain and even in our own country, an apple 

 outlet, at profitable prices, could have been ob- 

 tained for the same had sufficient means existed 

 for the bringing together more closely, produc- 

 ers and consumers : 



That, whereas, to provide for this bringing to- 

 gether, it is necessary that the bulk of the.3e 

 tender fruits be reduced to a preserved form as 

 near the point of production as possible : 



That, whereas, one of the main difficulties in 

 the way of securing complete development of 

 this canning and preserving industry lies in the 



