122 THE CONNECTICUT POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



and packed, each grower receiving credit for the number of 

 packages of each grade which his own fruit makes. The 

 foreman and packers, having no financial interest in the fruit, 

 pack top and bottom ahke and every basket can be guaranteed. 

 Sohd cars of one straight grade can thus 1)e purchased any day 

 (hiring the season and we find that 1)uyers wih pay more for 

 this fruit than where they have to dri\'e around the country 

 and pick up a car load, of as many different grades as there 

 were packers. 



The obstacles in the way of this central packing house plan 

 may be mentioned as : First, some expense in erecting and 

 equipping a plant ; second, tlie difficulty in securing a com- 

 petent manager — one who has more than ordinary ability and 

 good judgment, experienced in handling help, and one who can 

 hold the confidence of the patrons; third, the lack of confidence 

 which farmers have in their fellows, resulting in their fear that 

 some of their partners will get a better deal. 



The principal adrcnifagc is the application of modern and 

 systematic business methods to the fruit industry. Organiza- 

 tion is the basis of modern successful business operations and 

 only those lines of buiness that are well organized are success- 

 ful in a marked degree. The statement is often heard that a 

 farmer's organization is sure to fail — that "farmers will not 

 liang together," etc., (/(/ naiiscaiit. I think the experiment 

 among our Michigan fruit growers disproves that statement, 

 and I believe that the tendency among progressive fruit grow- 

 ers is towards such organizations. I believe that these sep- 

 arate packing houses will eventually grow into a federation, 

 with a central head, that will keep in touch with all of the 

 principal markets and keep the units of this federation in- 

 formed regarding markets and prices — a fruit growers' 

 "tnisf," if you please. 



A review of the plans of tlie central packing house shows 

 that nearlv every fault in marketing that I have first enumer- 

 ated is by that plan corrected, when the system is fullv carried 

 out by men of marked business ability. 



Legislation. 

 1"here is anotlier form of co-operation which we sliould all 

 favor — co-operation along lines of legislation. We may not 



