238 MODERN FRUIT MARKETING 



their own profession. Certain abuses among disreputable 

 produce handlers were rapidly creating distrust among 

 fruit growers, hence financially responsible commission 

 houses were seeking to correct the trouble. A commit- 

 tee was formed to consider the credentials of houses be- 

 fore being admitted to membership. This has formed 

 a strong membership, a list of which is always available 

 to any grower desiring to do business through commis- 

 sion houses. 



The membership list has gradually increased from year 

 to year until now it comprises nearly 400 handlers of 

 produce. These may be found in 41 different cities in 21 

 different states. Each firm or individual belonging to 

 the association has to pay an annual fee of $30. These 

 fees are turned into a general fund from which various 

 activities are maintained. Chief among these is an an- 

 nual appropriation of $10,000 set aside to maintain a 

 business office. This is now located in New York City 

 in charge of a manager, who looks after the busi- 

 ness of the organization. In earlier years the presi- 

 dent did this, but the duties have become so heavy and 

 the difficulty of moving the office from city to city has 

 made the establishing of a general office advisable. 



The duties of the manager's office include the adjust- 

 ment of transportation rates, where they appear unrea- 

 sonable or discriminatory, constant vigilance of both Na- 

 tional and State legislation, adjustment of loss, damage 

 and overcharge and claims against transportation com- 

 panies, crop conditions. It is also a bureau of general 

 information. 



Another feature of the organization is its annual con- 

 vention, This is the important meeting of the society 



