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ment of the apple business in Massachusetts; .his pu^^ting 

 them up right is a mighty tine thing. (Applaaso). 



The President. The next speaker, whom most of you 

 know, is Mr. H. W. Collingwood, of "The Rural New- 

 Yorker," who will discuss the question of "Cooperation. 

 (Hearty applause). 



CO-OPERATION 



Herbert W. Collingwood, Editor Rural New Yorker 



"When I was a boy on the Bristol County Farm, the old 

 minister began his sermon about as follows :- 



My Brethren, we have come today to discuss the theory 

 of religion, there is also a practice. Last Sunday on going 

 home I saw Deacon Brown out behind the barn forking hay 

 over. Last Sunday, Sister Smith, was out in the wood pile 

 cutting wood, while Brother Smith, was talking politics b/ 

 the stone wall. I am told that Deacon Rogers sold a tub of 

 butter, and when the buyer cut into it he found a stone 

 weighing three pounds. Now this is the practice of religion. 

 These same people are here today with the best clothes and 

 best behaviour after the theory, but the good Lord will judge 

 them not by their theory, but by their practice. Now I have 

 thought that the trouble with most people is the fact that 

 they cannot make theory and practice co-operate. I have 

 been looking over your exhibit of apples. It is a beautiful 

 display, the pick of the New England crop, and is showing 

 the theory of what your fruit growers can produce, it is per- 

 fect. But in order to tind the practice, I Avent out to a gro- 

 cery store and bought a quart of apples; here they are, six; 

 little Northern Spys. They cost 15 cents a quart, which, as 

 I figure, is $14.40 a barrel. 



They will sell you a peck for a dollar, or $12.00 a bar- 

 rel, and they have two sizes of Baldwins for 50 cents and 75' 

 cents a peck. It is doubtful if the man who grew these 

 Northern Spy got $2.50 a barrel, and I will leave some smart 

 boy to figure out how much of the consumers dollar he got. 

 Here again is another case where practice and theory fail to 

 co-operate, and therein lies one of the greatest lessons for 

 the New England Fruit grower. From childhood men see 

 from day to day the need of co-operation, yet it would seem 

 as if the older they grow the less they are inclined to work 

 together, until necessity drives them to it. My children 



