Marketing Fruit 311 



building up the association. Any fruit-grower may be- 

 come a member of the association so long as there is stock 

 for sale, and the owner of one share is entitled to all 

 of its privileges. The number of shares one individual 

 may own is limited. 



The growers are generally asked and, in many instances, 

 required to furnish an estimate of their crop. In the 

 smaller associations the manager sometimes secures this 

 information by visiting the orchards in person. This 

 estimate is made early in the fall, or not until damage by 

 worms and other causes is practically over, and the crop 

 is secure. With this knowledge in hand the manager 

 can enter into contracts for delivering certain amounts of 

 various varieties or grades. 



The system of selling has been radically changed within 

 the past few years. Formerly, practically all the fruit 

 was consigned to commission men, who, as a class, are 

 inclined to do the best they can by their constituents. 

 But too often the experience has been unsatisfactory. 

 Not infrequently has it happened that shipments con- 

 signed to a distant city have been reported as not being 

 up to grade, or not in good condition, so that the market 

 price could not be realized. In such cases although the 

 manager may be certain that his fruit is as he represented, 

 he is often unable to help himself, and must take what 

 he can get. But of late years the plan of selling f .o.b. 

 is being practiced more extensively, largely due to the 

 organized efforts of the associations. Consignments are 

 made only to well-known firms, and much of the fruit is 

 sold at auction. The auction method is coming more 

 and more into favor. 



