5IO 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



packing. In this connection I might state 

 we need some means by which instruction 

 can be given in packing. I heard what the 

 Hon. John Dryden, Minister of Agriculture, 

 said in regard to securing a man to give in- 

 structions in packing, and I heartily ap- 

 prove of the idea. if classes could be held 

 at the Agricultural College uniform methods 

 of packing could there be taught which 

 would be of great benefit. Every man has 

 his own idea of what No, i fruit is, and 'f 

 every person packs his own fruit there can 

 be no uniformity. 



" In addition to uniform methods of pack- 

 ing we need cooperation with the consumer. 

 It has been said that commission men may 

 object to our entering their field and filling 

 the orders of customers direct. What do 

 we owe commission men that we should 

 heed their objections? The fact is they 

 owe us far more than we owe them. We 

 should have some method by which we will 

 know how much fruit is received in the 

 principal consuming centres, what it has cost 

 to handle this fruit and what the fruit real- 

 ized. This is also true of shipments to 

 Great Britain. Why should we send our 

 fruit to strangers and allow them to do prac- 

 tically what they like with it? 



" In these cooperative associations which 

 are being formed we nnist not look for large 

 returns at first. In some cases it may oe 

 one or two years before these associations 

 can be placed on a satisfactory basis. If 

 we continue, however, we will perfect our 

 methods and finalh' becon;e established on a 

 firm footing. The greatest weakness '-f 

 the various associations I have established 

 has lain in the fact that there is no means 

 by which these various associations can be 

 united. They are separate and lack co- 

 hesion. If we can arrange any method by 

 which these associations can become identi- 

 fied with the Ontario Fruit Growers' Asso- - 

 ciation it would soon greatly increase the 

 membership of the association and be a 

 benefit to all concerned. 



" In the Walkerville association we were 

 able this year to pack apples for lo to 15 

 cents per barrel. In other years it has cost 

 us 25 to 30 cents. This year we have also 

 obtained better prices and, in addition, 

 have been able to sell thousands of barrels 

 of apples that would have been wasted in 

 other years through the buyers refusing to 

 buy them when they were ready for market. 



" Growers should remember that coopera- 

 tion will not advance the prices of poor fruit. 

 Even an association is unable to obtain 

 good prices for anything except No. i fruit. 

 Cooperation really begins in the orchard in 

 the growing of the fruit." 



Question : " How do you form these as- 

 sociations ?" 



HOW ASSOCIATIONS ARE FORMED. 



Mr. Sherrington: " When I enter a dis- 

 trict I first speak on the nature of coopera- 

 tion, tell what it has accomplished and out- 

 line methods by which growers can co- 

 operate. Those present are invited to take 

 the matter up. If they feel inclined to do 

 so the} are asked to pay a membership fee 

 of 25 cents each, arrange to hold meetings 

 for discussions, elect officers, etc. The 

 trouble in many cases is that there seems to 

 be no one person ready to take hold and di- 

 rect such an effort. In each case where I 

 organized an association the growers had to 

 be left to their own resources. Where as- 

 sociations were formed the growers were 

 instructed to prepare their own rules, ap- 

 point a manager and make all arrangements 

 in regard to the grading and shipping of 

 their fruit." 



Question : " How are these managers 

 paid ?" 



Mr. Sherrington : " The manager should 

 be paid what he is worth. Some associa- 

 tions pay their managers five cents per bar- 

 rel. Last year the Walkerville Association 

 paid me 3 per cent. The year before my 

 expenses amounted to 2 cents per barrel. 

 On this allowance I attended to all corre- 

 spondence, paid for telegrams and telephone 



