CITRUS GROWERS' EXCHANGES 69 



the association. When an ordinary corporation is formed 

 it is quite usual to issue shares at a par value of $1, with 

 the provision that each intending cooperator buy ten shares 

 for each acre of bearing orchard. Under the non-profit 

 plan an entrance fee of $1 or $10 may be charged for each 

 acre that is entered. 



Though theoretically voting power is thus unequal, it is 

 quite common in growers' meetings for ordinary questions 

 to be decided by the single "aye" and "nay" method, but 

 any member is free to call for a vote according to stock 

 ownership or acres entered in the association. Moreover, 

 when it comes to the election of directors the voting is 

 always by ballot and according to acreage. And since the 

 election of directors is usually the most important item of 

 business to be transacted, the large owner does not feel 

 that his interests are being put in jeopardy by an "aye" and 

 "nay" vote, while the small owner is not made to feel his 

 insignificance as would be the case if all matters were de- 

 cided by an acreage vote. 



The equitable division of the financial burden incident 

 to erecting a packing house and buying equipment is not 

 a simple matter. A first class plant cannot be obtained for 

 less than $10,000 and may cost twice that amount. Then 

 if the association decides to install a pre-cooling plant, 

 $50,000 additional may be required. There is little diffi- 

 culty in organizing a cooperative egg society where the 

 necessary investment is small, but in a citrus association 

 the financial stake of no member is negligible, while the 

 outlay of the larger grower is so considerable that his 

 allegiance to the cooperative principle can only be secured 

 if the financial organization seems to him to square with 

 substantial justice. 



Let us assume a typical case. A group of fifty growers, 

 owning a total of 500 acres, contemplate forming an asso- 



