1326 THE FRUIT INDUSTRY IN NEW YORK STATE 



Complaints regarding the practices in the shipping of grapes 

 continued until a united effort was made to consolidate the grow- 

 ers into one large corporation or shipping company. After some 

 trials this was worked out in the following manner : 



At a meeting held for the purpose a committee was *appointed 

 consisting of one grape grower from each school district in the 

 grape belt. .The work of the members of this committee was to 

 canvass the belt and obtain signers to a petition asking for the 

 organization of a company to handle the entire crop. Each signer 

 was to take one share of stock, the shares being five dollars each. 

 About ninety per cent signed to organize such a company. By- 

 laws were then drawn up and a printed contract was sent to every 

 one who had signed the petitions. About seventy-five per cent 

 actually signed and paid for the stock, and the first large company 

 was thus organized. 



This company put out of business the men who had been ship- 

 ping for one-half cent a basket, but some who did not want to 

 lose so profitable a trade began to buy at the car doors, paying- 

 cash and taking the market risk themselves. Owing to the fact 

 that they were small shippers, while the company was a very large 

 one, they could select the best markets. On the other hand, the 

 big shipping company, consisting of the growers themselves, had 

 to use every market to dispose of its large crop, and this enabled 

 the small shippers to outsell the large company. It so happened 

 that many who remained outside the organization received more 

 for their crops than did those who joined. They were not slow in 

 making this known, and as a result many were drawn away from 

 the company. From that time until the present day many plans 

 have been advised, some of which have been tried out. As a re- 

 sult two facts are evident to the careful observer: first, that con- 

 sumers desire better fruit r but do not wish to pay more for it; 

 second, that the growers want to put in almost everything and still 

 obtain good returns. The one extreme is just as unfair as the 

 other. 



BUYERS NOT WILLING TO PAY FOR QUALITY 



For ten years, from 1900 to 1910, the writer was the manager 

 of a shipping company that was formed to put up and sell a 

 grade of fine table fruit. On every basket appeared this state- 



