TWENTIETH AX N UAL MEETING. 39 



made by those present to arranqe matters of transportation 

 for our fruits in a way that promised to give us satisfactory 

 entrance to praclicall}' all the large Xew England markets in 

 seasonable time for the market demands. In order to reach 

 some of the more distant markets successfully, an early ship- 

 ping hour seemed necessary to be named, and in order to go 

 by certain objections to this condition an arrangement was 

 made, whereby a later train would be run when ten cars of 

 fruit was offered as freight, for such special, on sufficient 

 notice. This oft'er was made use of to good advantage <jver 

 the division known as the "Air Line." As a result of the 

 arrangements made we have heard but little complaint, and 

 believe that the fruit growers in general were well satisfied 

 and also well served. 



One can best gain an idea of the changes that have 

 come about to our advantage in matters of transportation by 

 letting memory run back, say ten years, and note the prevail- 

 ing conditions and the changes made from year to year. As 

 I remember some years ago. one of the very large crops of 

 peaches we had to ship had to go to market in common box 

 cars, the Xew Haven road had no refrigerator cars of its 

 own, and none were available, except at a loss of considerable 

 time and much extra expense, and also our railroad people 

 were somewdiat skeptical regarding prospects for business 

 from fruit to be moved. JJ'cll do I remember that season, 

 a wet one, and tiie oft repeated returns received of ''bad or- 

 der," "late arrival in market," "had to carrv over," or "()wing 

 to bad order had to close out at low prices." During late 

 years contracts were made for foreign refrigerator car ser- 

 vice at a good sized rental j^irice over the regular freight 

 charges. This proved a decided advantage over the lack of 

 cars first named. Xow plent\- of refrigerator cars belonging 

 to the Xew Haven system are to be had. free, and as appears 

 from our later experience, the help of our transportation peo- 

 ple will in every reasonable wa}- be extended to help us place 

 our fruit products .successfully in any market we advise. So 



