No. 4.] FRUIT GROWING IN NOVA SCOTIA. 41 



executive committee of three members was elected from the 

 leaders of the companies, some twenty-two in number, who 

 decided to participate in the movement. The farmers were 

 fortunate in their choice. 



As I stated before, the companies did not tie themselves to 

 the Central Association in any way, they contributed nothing 

 to found or start it, and were under no legal obligations to 

 support it. The work of the Central was to attend to the 

 matter of transportation, make what sales it could for the com- 

 panies, buy supplies and generally assist all affiliated com- 

 panies. Companies wishing to affiliate paid an entrance fee of 

 $5. To maintain itself the Central charged the companies a 

 small percentage of what apples it sold and earned certain 

 money, as will be explained later. This Central Association 

 came into existence in July, 1911. The whole scheme was an 

 experiment, and no company was compelled to supply a single 

 barrel of apples, to fill orders taken by the Central, if it thought 

 it could do better elsewhere. Under these circumstances it is 

 little short of wonderful that at the end of the season the man- 

 ager was able to report an unqualified success. Great credit is 

 due to the companies, the majority of which, I am glad to say, 

 stood by their Central. There were a few weak-kneed com- 

 panies, but these dropped out early in the game. 



A brief resume of the work accomplished by this experimental 

 Central Association may prove of interest to you. In the first 

 place Nova Scotia had that year a record crop of apples. The 

 very magnitude of the crop gave the Central its first oppor- 

 tunity to demonstrate its usefulness. With such a large crop 

 there was naturally a lack of laborers to harvest it. The Cen- 

 tral advertised for help, and in response to their appeal a small 

 army of laborers invaded the valley and were distributed by 

 the Central to the various companies who had previously made 

 their requirements known. These companies in turn passed the 

 help on to each of the members who required it. Previous to 

 this action by the Central Association the valley laborers were 

 demanding an unreasonable remuneration for picking. The 

 advent of the additional help, however, knocked the bottom 

 out of this "hold up," and the growers, even those altogether 

 outside of the movement, were able to harvest their crops at a 

 reasonable rate. 



