20 BULLETIN 861, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



in the car, inspect their quality, and sell them for the highest price 

 obtainable. The grower usually allows the association to take full 

 charge of the shipment, and payment is commonly made by pooling 

 the returns of the shipment of each day and remitting to the growers 

 in proportion to their haulings of the various sizes and varieties, 

 after deducting a certain charge for expenses. The details of these 

 business arrangements, which depend on the constitutions and by- 

 laws of the various organizations, cover a wide range 6i conditions 

 and are generally covered by a contract between the association and 

 each of its individual members. In some cases growers are allowed 

 entire freedom of action, in that they may market their crops through 

 the associations or through outside agencies, as they see fit ; in others 

 the} r are obligated to allow the association to handle all of their 

 crops. Some associations charge their members on a percentage 

 commission basis ; sometimes they make a fixed charge per basket or 

 per ton, out of which the expenses of management must be borne. 

 The profits, if any, at the end of the shipping season are divided 

 among the shareholders of the association or prorated among the 

 shippers, according to the rules of each association. 



Most cooperative associations in the grape industry endeavor to 

 sell at the loading station. Other methods, such as consignment and 

 sales to juice factories, are practiced, but the great bulk of the stock 

 is sold on telegraphic orders. 



Notable examples of cooperative grape shipping associations are to 

 be found in the leading sections of Michigan, New York, and the 

 Missouri Valley. While cooperation solves many problems, it will 

 surely result in failure unless the two basic requirements are met: 

 (1) Such an organization must be founded on some definite urgent 

 need, and (2) the manager or director of such an enterprise must 

 possess the requisite ability and knowledge of marketing conditions. 



SALES TO GRAPE-JUICE FACTORIES. 



The tremendous growth of the unfermented grape- juice industry 

 during the past few years has established a most satisfactory market 

 outlet for those growers whose vineyards are in close proximity to 

 such factories. A large proportion of the tonnage produced in the 

 Chautauqua-Erie belt, in Michigan, and in the Hudson Eiver Valley 

 is consumed in the manufacture of this product, and in the first dis- 

 trict named nearly as much stock is consumed locally by factories as 

 is shipped to outside points. 



The problems of marketing are reduced to a minimum for those 

 growers who sell to juice factories. To some extent, both in Michi- 

 gan and in New York, factories purchase their requirements from 

 neighboring growers under contracts made before the grapes mature, 



