MARKETING 175 



collectively. The selling is done by a produce company 

 which is also a member of the association, and whose 

 members are, in addition, general merchants. The com- 

 pany receives for its services a certain fixed price. The 

 greenhouse men that are in this association raise practi- 

 cally nothing but lettuce and tomatoes. The lettuce is 

 cut at the greenhouses, and placed in boxes especially 

 prepared for same and brought to the company's store, 

 where it is inspected, washed, packed and prepared for 

 shipment. This is done under the supervision of the 

 association and at the association's expense, 2 per cent 

 ot the gross sales being taken out to cover these ex- 

 penses. The tomatoes are handled in practically the 

 same manner, and the aim of the association is to pack 

 its stuff uniformly, and to see that only vegetables of 

 good quality are put on the market. It has also been the 

 aim of the association through its selling agents to obtain 

 as wide a distribution of its products as possible. The 

 association has been remarkably successful. While the 

 members have full power through their officers and com- 

 mittees to pass upon all questions concerning their goods, 

 they have always left the selling of them entirely to their 

 regularly appointed agents. The lettuce returns are pro- 

 rated weekly and all who bring the lettuce in one week 

 receive the same price. The tomato sales, on account of 

 more rapid fluctuation of the market, are pro-rated twice 

 weekly. 



There is a unique organization of eight to ten frame 

 growers at Norfolk, Va., known as the "Hotbed Growers' 

 Association." Each member of this association is also a 

 member and stockholder of the Southern Produce Com- 

 pany, and secures affiliation in this way with the larger 

 and stronger organization. The members of the Hotbed 

 Association plant, harvest and market the same crops at 

 the same time. This insures large shipments, and elimi- 

 nates, as far as possible, competition among the members. 



