CHAPTER III 



BEGINNINGS OF COOPERATIVE MARKETING AMONG 

 CITRUS FRUIT GROWERS 



The citrus industry of California is undoubtedly the most 

 highly organized of all agricultural pursuits. Not less than 

 four-fifths of all the citrus fruit of California is sold 

 through cooperative as distinguished from individual effort, 

 and the influence of cooperation on the production of the 

 crop is far from insignificant. What, then, has led to the 

 development of these cooperative enterprises, from what 

 were they trying to escape, how are they organized, and 

 what have they accomplished? 



Answers to these questions must take us back to the early 

 years of the industry. As has already been stated, the first 

 carload of oranges left California in 1877, and the industry 

 increased so rapidly that in ten years the shipments had 

 passed the 2,000 car mark. 



At first, owing to the comparatively small output, re- 

 turns were satisfactory, but with increasing production the 

 marketing problem became ever more discouraging. As 

 early as 1885 conditions had become so trying that a meet- 

 ing of growers was held which resulted in the formation 

 of the Orange Growers' Protective Union. This is perhaps 

 the earliest attempt of the citrus men toward concerted 

 action, but as tiie organization did not result in anything 

 of permanent significance it does not need to be described 

 in detail. It is, however, important to discover why a need 

 was felt for any organization at all. 



What, therefore, were the methods of marketing in vogue 



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