UTILIZING LOW-GRADE FRUITS 285 



rather lose two dollars than see their neighbor make one, and 

 while this principle can hardly be endorsed, there is undoubtedly 

 some truth in it. Another very important reason seems to be 

 that the best growers in the community usually do not make 

 much by joining the association and sometimes even lose some- 

 thing. This is because they have already been receiving the 

 highest prices for fancy fruits. Since they are the ones who 

 must usually take the lead in such matters, the scheme is likely to 

 languish unless they are of a somewhat self-sacrificing turn of 

 mind. 



A further difficulty which is usually experienced is that the 

 packing varies too much in the different packing houses. This 

 is pretty certain to be so unless the packing is all done under 

 one central supervision. This plan has been used in some 

 sections of the northwest and seems to work well. An experi- 

 enced packer is put in charge of each gang of hands, and he is 

 responsible, not to the owner of the fruit, but to the association. 

 This obviates the difficulty which one speaker expressed by 

 saying that no man ought to pack his own apples because it is 

 so hard for him to see a worm-hole. 



Utilizing Low-grade Fruits. It remains to say a word about 

 utilizing the poorer grades of fruit. Of course, we may say that 

 there should not be any such grades, and it is quite true that 

 entirely too much of our fruit belongs in this class. But even 

 with the best of treatment there is going to be some of this sort 

 of fruit produced, and it is a very important question what dis- 

 posal should be made of it. Usually it is put on the market and 

 allowed to bring what it will. Most men who market these 

 inferior grades of fruit (such as poor windfalls and wormy 

 specimens) do not appreciate the depressing influence which 

 this sort of fruit has on the market. Because they are getting 

 some cash for their fruit they think it is a better bargain 

 than to let it lie on the ground and rot. Perhaps it is looking 

 at it from their own selfish standpoint, though even this is to be 

 doubted, if they are growing any good fruit in addition. But 

 if we look at it from the standpoint of the larger interest of 

 the industry as a whole there can be no doubt whatever. These 



