SIXTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING. 121 



right to the point of shipping, where they buy in car lots, 

 generahy slii[)ping to some (hstant market under refrigerati(^n. 

 This l)uil(hng up of a home market requires the co-operation 

 of the growers, as it is necessary to (1(^ considerable advertising, 

 l)oth 1)}- circulars mailed to the leading wliolesale fruit houses 

 and by expensi\e adx'ertisements in the fruit trade journals. 

 (Booklets.) These buyers make their purchases direct from 

 the growers and the fruit is paid for in cash on delivery at the 

 car door. When we get these buyers to come to us, we co- 

 operate t(~) see that they are gi\-en fair treatment by the in- 

 (li\'i(lual growers, assist in securing good refrigerator car 

 ser\ice and do all in our power to make their stay among us 

 both i)leasant and satisfactory. So far we have been 

 unable to establish any reliable system of inspection of 

 the pack of the various growers, so that faults numbered 1, 

 2 and 3 have not been overcome, but the eleven other faults 

 enumerated have been done away with, as far as the growers 

 are concerned. Of the system of marketing, so far mentioned, 

 I consider this home market plan by far the best. It is busi- 

 nesslike, as it gives me a chance to say something as to the 

 price for which I will part with my products, ^^d^en I cannot 

 do that, I am ready to change to some occupation w here I can. 

 During the past eight years I have not shipped a total of $500 

 worth of fruit on commission, but have sold our entire output 

 right at our point of shipment, most of our peaches going east, 

 to Boston, Springfield, New York and Pittsburg. 



But, in the four methods of marketing mentioned, there 

 still remain some important faults to be remedied and we 

 have had to resort to another form of co-operation, which 

 promises to be of permanent benefit — the Central Packing 

 House system. 



Central P.vcking House. 



We have had five of these packing houses at Fennville and 

 we have fully demonstrated their efficiency in handling and 

 marketing the products of large orchards. Usually six or 

 eight large growers combine and erect a large packing house 

 alongside of the railroad. Their fruit is brought direct from 

 the orchards to this packing house, where it is carefully graded 



