110 



funiislu's an Jllustration of the "systenr'. Speculators 

 bought the erop iu many instances at a loss to the producer 

 and are holding them in cold storage to be brought out later 

 and marketed at a great advance. The profit going into the 

 capacious maw of greed rather than to the benefit of the pro- 

 ducer and consumer where it should and could go if the 

 apple growers were properly organized. 



There are consumers to whom the price is of secondary 

 importance. This applies, however, more to buyers of fancy 

 and high grade apples than to the great bulk of the fruit. 

 As long, however, as existing conditions continue there can 

 be no stability in prices. The "system" talks about "supply 

 and demand" but the producer and consumer are still at the 

 merc.y of the beast competition. When the producers com- 

 bine to do their own business and show the same efficiency 

 in the sale of their apples as is shown in other lines prices 

 will enter as a factor in the increase in the consumption of 

 apples. 



1 can speak of a period 40 years ago and practically the 

 same methods are employed in general marketing of most 

 farm products in New England as that time except so far as 

 relates to cold storage. The peculiar situation of the New 

 England states necessitates uniform action as well in regu- 

 lating the price as in standardizing the pack in order to ol)- 

 tain the best results. Local conservatism has retained anti- 

 Cjuated'and haphazard methods. 



Other parts of the country particularly the West and 

 3Iiddle West, in order to develop their agricultural indus- 

 tries have had to organize as a matter of necessity in order 

 lo overcome the abuses that have crept in between producer 

 :-and consumer. In connection Avith the use of this word 

 .-abuse, I wish it distinctly understood that I have no inten- 

 tion of knocking the middle man as such. I simply state 

 that there are too many of them dominating the farmer, from 

 the warehouse man down through the Auction company, 

 fruit distributing and marketing companies, brokers, job- 

 bers, wliolesalers, commission agents, soliciting agents, local 



