22 



one town would work together this way, they might com- 

 bine in shipping, and thus give co-operative marketing a 

 practical test. 



But right here comes in the necessity to know the mar- 

 ket conditions; not only at your own town and shipping 

 station, but in the big distributing centers at home and 

 abroad; something of the export trade, etc. One essential 

 along this line is to know the market to which you should 

 ship, when and how to ship. Boston will take with avidity 

 certain apples which New York never wants; the tastes of 

 consumers in these big markets may be profitably learned 

 in advance. It will pay the grower to personally visit the 

 large markets and study conditions. If you are to choose 

 a commission merchant, select one who not only has a safe 

 bank account, but also shows up strong in other essentials, 

 a good salesman, and a person of integrity, making him in 

 fact your representative in handling your goods. Such fruit 

 grower will then come home better prepared than ever to 

 get all the trade will stand. 



Put special emphasis on the grading, packing and 

 branding of your fruit. Appearance often sells it. Mark a 

 No. 1 apple, No. 1, with your name, and make it stand for 

 something. If you must barrel inferior fruit, have the 

 courage to pack No. 2s as No. 2 and so brand it. Remem- 

 ber in this connection that it costs just as much to pack and 

 ship seconds as firsts. You will not make a fortime the 

 first year, not perhaps the second. But persistence in some 

 such course will eventually count for much to your per- 

 manent profit, whether you sell independently or co-opera- 

 tively. It has been truly said that such apples are half 

 sold before arrival in market. 



After some discussion, at 2.30 the Editor of **Farm and 

 Home," Edwin C. Powell of Springfield, Mass., gave the 

 following lecture on 



HOW SHALL WE DISPOSE OF OUR NO. 2 APPLES AND 

 OTHER SECOND-CLASS FRUIT? 



The speaker before me has referred to taking care of 

 the best fruit and also the seconds. The aim of the grower 

 should be to so handle the orchard as to produce as much 

 as possible fruit of the finest quality. The dealers claim 

 that^ second quality fruit predominates in the itiarke!. 1 

 don't like to say it but I don't believe that the farmer 



