MARKETING SMALL FRUITS 129 



I wish we could have a stronger and closer organiza- 

 tion of the fruit growers, with members in every town in 

 the state willing to report to the Secretary, each year, the 

 number of acres in bearing condition, the number newly 

 planted, and all conditions relating to the several fruit 

 crops of the state. With such an organization and such 

 reports, we would be in a condition to make our plans on 

 a firm foundation. 



I fear we will have to wait some time before carrying 

 out such a plan, although there is nothing impossible 

 about it. AH that is necessary is for a public-spirited 

 fruit grower in each town to volunteer to report to the 

 Secretary for his own town. Let us consider this matter 

 and see if we can bring some practical results from it. 

 The shipment of fruit from the south, California, and 

 other fruit sections, we must meet by having all fruits we 

 offer better than theirs and as near perfection as possible, 

 both in appearance and quality. There are two classes of 

 fruit growers that figure in our markets ; perhaps once in 

 fifty times one grower figures in both classes successfully. 



There is the grower who sacrifices everything to quantity 

 and cheapness of production and fills a large place in all 

 markets. Then there is another who is aiming at fancy 

 trade, and gets it by growing fancy fruit. Perhaps nine 

 out of ten of us try to shoot both ways, but, as we are 

 not crack shots, we hit neither mark. We miss cheapness 

 of production by not being up to date in our ideas of 

 cultivation, fertilizing, etc. We miss fancy prices by not 

 having fancy varieties and fancy ideas of marketing. 



As to best methods of marketing, this is a question hard 

 to solve satisfactorily. I sometimes think that if it were 

 possible to have all berries — we will say all in the Hart- 

 ford, New Haven and Bridgeport markets — sold at whole- 

 sale, either by auction or otherwise, and by one firm, as 

 is done at Worcester, Mass., it might be an advantage to 

 the growers. But there are many difficulties in this plan, 

 and perhaps it could not be made a success unless all 

 growers in this vicinity, as well as all retailers, were 

 agreed. Certainly some plan that would prevent ruinous 

 competition, to the extent of selling below the cost of 



