EfGHTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING. m 



bushel, and for eastern prices that is good, considering the 

 short distance he has to carry them. This year it would pay 

 to store winter apples, but ordinarily it doesn't. I think 

 apples should be handled from the producer to the consumer. 

 This man I have in mind uses a box a good deal like these 

 boxes here on the stage, but not as deep : more the shape of 

 the official box. He has his wagon fixed so it carries just so 

 many deep and high ; each box is labeled with his name ; he 

 gets his boxes back ; his apples are not wrapped, but every 

 one closely packed ; no loose apples put in. 



Question No. 3 : Is it feasible for a fruit growers' so- 

 ciety to undertake the cooperative buying or selling for the 

 benefit of its members? 



Mr. J. H. Hale : I would like to hear what somebody 

 €lse has to say. It is feasible, of course, when you are really 

 ready to co-operate. Unquestionably the fruit growers of 

 the State buy in the way of fertilizers, tools, implements and 

 packages perhaps several thousand dollars' worth in a year. 

 If they were really willing to put the money together and in 

 someone's hands and pay cash for everything in advance, they 

 could save quite a large amount. I know it is done by some 

 societies in some States. As for selling, we did it in a cer- 

 tain way the last year, — the peach crop, by the work of this 

 Society; we didn't absolutely sell together, but by advertis- 

 ing we brought the buyers here, then, by standing together 

 on price, we were able to sell at a better price than otherwise. 

 Having been a farmer all my life, and having for nearly 30 

 years tried to work in a co-operative way, I find, on the 

 whole, we are a pesky lot to co-operate with ourselves. 



Secretary Miles : Will Brother Hale suggest anything 

 that this Society can do in the years to come to pave the way 

 for such a thing? 



Mr. Hale: You can do it by forming a business asso- 

 ciation. For half a dozen years in the State of Georgia they 

 bave been working along the line of this Society, doing more 

 or less talk about co-operation but little work. Finally the 

 Peach Growers' Association was instituted and took up a 



