54 COOPERATIVE MARKETING 



standards of uniformity, would be so widely known to all 

 buyers as to inspire confidence, and which would stand be- 

 hind its goods after the manner of any reputable business. 

 In other words salvation was seen to lie in sound commer- 

 cial methods rather than policies of strategy and charlatan- 

 ism. Only a comprehensive organization for packing, 

 shipping and marketing, one which had a real stake in the 

 business and depended for its success on building up a 

 permanent clientele could hope to effect these reforms. 



It has already been suggested that oranges must be for- 

 warded in a prompt and careful manner in order to obtain 

 satisfactory results. But what redress did a single shipper 

 have when he had suffered injury from the railroads ? The 

 carriers, however, were certain to be much more particular 

 in their treatment of a powerful organization which had 

 the machinery for detecting dereliction on the part of the 

 railroads and the financial strength to prosecute damage 

 claims. This became more and more apparent to the 

 growers, and was impressed on their minds whenever short- 

 age of cars or the wrecking of a fruit train occurred. Then 

 there were troubles over the types of refrigerator cars fur- 

 nished, over the transportation and refrigeration charges, 

 and over the privilege of diversion. All in all, the trans- 

 portation problems showed a wide field of endeavor for 

 concerted as opposed to the old dissociated action. 



The orange and lemon market has always been highly 

 sensitive. A shortage of a few cars will make the price 

 soar; a slight oversupply will cause a serious drop. An 

 amount of fruit for each market rigidly fixed within nar- 

 row limits is the condition on which shippers must base 

 their marketing policy. This inelasticity of demand makes 

 the risks of loss from a glutted market great, risks which 

 were accentuated by the necessity for heavy outlays before 

 the favor of fortime could be tested by putting the fruit 



