I02 



ly organized. They have studied the situation, seen the op- 

 portunity and found the means of improving it. 



It is not a fact of which we can be proud, that apples, 

 which to say the least are not superior to ours, can be 

 grown 2,000 miles from our markets, and sold in those mar- 

 kets in competition with our own fruit, at prices consider- 

 ably in advance of ours. At present, we have not the means 

 of meeting the competition successfully, except in a small 

 way by a fey individuals. 



I think most of you will agree with me that the follow- 

 ing outline covers the principal difficulties of the present 

 in the handling and marketing of our fruits. 



The grading and packing of fruit is not at all uniform 

 ©r satisfactory in quality. Too much of our fruit is poorly 

 packed, low in grade and unmiiform both as to fruit and to 

 package. 



The transportation and disposal of fruit in market is on 

 the whole, unsatisfactory. Most fruit is moved in less than 

 car lots, in which the service is poor, and the cost compar- 

 atively high. 



There is not the proper relation between the producer 

 and the consumer, supply and demand. Too much fruit is 

 handled on consignment and by too many middle men, 

 some of whom are dishonest. 



The individual fruit grower, working alone, has no 

 power to remedy this state of affairs. He is unable to trace 

 shortages, remedy losses in transit, or materially influence 

 better service. 



It is not necessary to more than mention these troubles, 

 however, as you are probably too familiar with them. My 

 problem is to show the possibilities of cooperation in meet- 

 ing and overcoming these difficulties. The most successful 

 attempt at cooperation in handling of fruit was made in 

 Michigan peach belt. Under the very able leadership of 

 Charles E. Bassett, the Fennville fruit shippers' association 

 was organized in 1891. Their steady and consistent growth 

 is indicative of their great success. A local agent loads the 

 fruit which goes to Chicago by special fast freight. There 

 another agent receives the consignment and distributes the 

 fruit, A standard package, saving at least half its cost, has 

 been adopted. The freight rate to Chicago has been re- 

 duced from 6 1-2 to 2 1-2 cents a basket. 



In one season, 6,000,000 baskets of peaches were shipped 



