236 Cooperation in Agriculture 



A Small Association. A small association, like the 

 individual fruit-grower, is handicapped in disposing of its 

 product. As a general principle, it will do best by sell- 

 ing to local buyers, to jobbers, or to distant jobbers for 

 cash at the shipping point, leaving the risks of transporta- 

 tion and of marketing to the established marketing agen- 

 cies. Under this method a carload of fruit usually brings 

 a lower net price than a carload of similar sound fruit 

 would bring at destination because of the risk of trans- 

 portation and final sale. The small association is not in 

 a position to develop a comprehensive marketing system. 

 When a carload is shipped from a packing-house to be sold 

 at some future time, the small shipper is at the mercy of 

 the trade. His product is subject to discount from de- 

 cay, from over-ripeness, from alleged bad packing, and 

 from every other factor that gives the unfair buyer an 

 excuse to reduce the price, especially on a declining mar- 

 ket. He is equally at the mercy of the dishonest com- 

 mission merchant if the fruit is shipped on consignment. 

 Selling for cash at the point of production gives the 

 grower his money quickly, and, if there is actual competi- 

 tion among buyers, this method on the whole is likely 

 to be more satisfactory than any other that the small 

 association can adopt. 



A Large Volume of Business. The association that 

 has a large quantity of fruit need not be restricted to a 

 selling system at the point of production. It can adopt 

 this method if it is found to be most satisfactory, but it 

 is in a position to develop a marketing system whereby 

 its product can be sold in distant markets as well and the 

 demand for its fruit developed at the same time. A 



