240 THE CONNECTICUT P0M0L0GICAL SOCIETY. 



ordinary times we have no trouble. The men are flocking to 

 ns in picking time to be employed. They like the work. Men 

 will come to us and work for less than they will in some other 

 line. As the years go by your difficulties will pass by, and 

 you will have more encouragement. I believe this associa- 

 tion effort is a great thing for the fruit grower. 



Now I have given you an outline of what we are doing. 

 Perhaps it would be better for me to stop and ask if there 

 are any questions along this line of co-operation, or any- 

 thing about packing that I can answer. 



Discussion. 



O. What geographical area does your association 

 cover ? 



Mr. Thompson : We have members located as far as 

 twenty miles away from us. Some of those men are lively 

 members too. Some of them send in occasional shipments 

 for this western market, and all of them are shipping more 

 or less through the association. The main idea has been to 

 get all of our people working along in this line, because it 

 has meant a greater saving and bigger profits for them all. 

 We have these associations throughout the provinces. In 

 our province, there are only five or six, and we have formed 

 what we call the Central Association. That is composed of 

 one representative from each of the associations, and has 

 formed an executive body. That association is going further 

 than we have done. They are buying supplies for all of our 

 associations throughout the province or state. We have been 

 doing more of it than in some of the other sections of the 

 country. We are purchasing supplies now for practically the 

 whole of the province. We give others the benefit of that 

 work. All of that business is handled and given to any asso- 

 ciation outside of the central one, at an advance of three per 

 cent. In no case more than that. That is, three per cent 

 above the original wholesale cost. In getting a large quantity 

 you can handle it for that amount, and the three per cent on 



