44 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



Association selling you material; it is you yourself buying 

 material at first cost through your own buyer, that is, your 

 Central Association. The Central did not work to make any 

 profit out of the affiliated companies. Supplies were distributed 

 at cost and apples were sold at cost. A small levy was made 

 on all apples sold to cover the expenses of the Central, but 

 owing to the economical manner in which things were worked 

 out, money being earned by the Central in various ways already 

 indicated, the entire business of the companies was handled at 

 the ridiculously low cost of three-eighths of a cent per barrel. 

 Thus did the leaders of this movement demonstrate to the 

 farmers what could be done by co-operation. 



During the winter months a special bill had been prepared 

 to enable the Central Association to be incorporated. This 

 bill, with certain modifications, was passed by the House of 

 Assembly at Halifax. Steps were taken in June, 1912, to com- 

 plete the organization of this movement and to incorporate as 

 many companies as possible into one central body. 



The speculators who had so long made a very lucrative living 

 out of the farmers did not allow this organization to be effected 

 without a determined opposition, but thanks to the zeal and 

 untiring energy which was put into it, twenty-four of the 

 twenty-seven co-operative companies signed the memorandum 

 of association, which gave birth to the United Fruit Companies 

 of Nova Scotia, Limited. The company is incorporated with 

 an authorized capital of $200,000, of which $76,000 is sub- 

 scribed, each subsidiary company subscribing 20 per cent, of 

 its authorized capital. The organization meeting was held at 

 Kentville on July 8, 1912, the companies being represented by 

 seventy-two delegates. By-laws were adopted and directors 

 and officers were appointed, each company being represented 

 on the directorate by one representative. 



Ten other companies have been formed and have come into 

 the Central Association since organization, so that there are 

 now thirty-seven companies. All the companies agreed to come 

 in under a by-law which gives the Central Association complete 

 control of all their fruit. All apples are pooled and average 

 prices are returned to the companies according to the class and 

 grade of fruit packed. 



