I08 THE CONNECTICUT FOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



lue one favor, viz : to have a short paper on the subject 

 named. I wrote him that I would fry to grant this favor. It 

 will surely be onlv to try to do it, for I have no data or facts 

 to present to you gathered from cooperative orchardry. That 

 there is urgent necessity, not only to cheapen the cost of produc- 

 tion, but to improve the quality of fruit here in Connecticut, to 

 meet the growing and ever reaching competition, there cannot be 

 a doubt, but how to do this is the vital question for our considera- 

 tion. My theory is cooperation or combination. When we see 

 and read of so many gigantic corporations, as well as smaller 

 combinations, so successfully running their various businesses 

 against all competition, it is well for us to ask if these same 

 business principles or methods may not be applied to the business 

 of the farmer and fruit grower. 



In looking over the Farm and Home paper a few days ago, 

 my eyes caug'ht the following: John D. Rockefeller, Jr. says, 

 "To fight the battle alone is to be lost. Association with others 

 is an absolute necessity, if we would be successful. We can 

 see this illustrated every day in our business world." The 

 editor remarked, "Reference to the business world at present 

 does not include the farmer. Everybody knows that they are 

 not doing business on thorough business principles, but is it 

 not time that they got into the business world?" What is good 

 for one class of people who produce, manufacture and sell, 

 ought to be good for others. If in imion there is strength 

 and success for Rockefeller and his associates, why would it 

 not mean strength and success for the farmer?" There can 

 be no doubt about this reasoning, provided the union is per- 

 fectly formed and managed, so that the imion is as one man, 

 which pulls, works, acts and sticks together. Now, I cannot 

 tell you how much cheaper or more profitable fruit can be 

 raised by cooperation to meet the present competition, than it 

 is now raised. To my mind, however, it is perfectly clear that 

 fruit can not only be produced at less cost, but of finer, more 

 attractive and salable appearance, and sold at better prices by 

 combination than that which is now grown and sold by most 

 of the farmers throughout Connecticut. It is, no doubt, evi- 

 dent to you all, that large operations, when systematically 

 managed, must tend to lessen the cost of production more or 

 less. As an example, let me briefly state what expert work 



