ORGANIZATION OF PRODUCERS iii 



the grower's identity is lost, for the oranges are carried 

 over automatic sizing machines and into bins in which fruit 

 from many growers may be awaiting packing. The oranges 

 are then wrapped in tissues bearing the association name, 

 and a definite number of any given size are packed in each 

 box; the box is covered, cleated and strapped, and is then 

 ready for loading or for pre-cooling. 



Let us assume that a certain grower's contribution to the 

 pool in question was i,ooo loose boxes, averaging forty-five 

 pounds each. Suppose that i6 per cent, or 7,200 pounds 

 qualified for the fancy grade, 60 per cent, or 27,000 pounds 

 for choice, 20 per cent, or 9,000 pounds for standard, and 

 4 per cent, or 1,800 pounds were thrown out as culls. When 

 all the fruit picked in that pool has been sold the total pro- 

 ceeds for each grade will be divided by the total weight 

 of fruit of each grade to determine at what rate the grower 

 is to be paid. Let us suppose the first grade averaged net 

 to the association $2 a hundred pounds, the second grade 

 $1.75, the third $1.50, while the culls were sold to local 

 peddlers at $.25 a hundred pounds. Our grower's equity 

 in the pool would therefore be $144, plus $472.50, plus 

 $135, plus $4.50, or a total of $756. But the expenses of 

 picking and packing must be deducted before the grower 

 can be paid. At four cents a box the picking would amount 

 to $40, and at thirty-two cents a packed box (1,000 loose 

 boxes would pack about 645 boxes), the packing costs 

 would be, say, $200. The grower therefore would receive 

 a warrant for $516 as his share of the pool. 



The rule forbidding the association to market any fruit 

 not furnished by the members needs little explanation. It 

 simply is a preventive measure to keep the cooperative or- 

 ganization from becoming an ordinary fruit speculating 

 concern. The foundations of cooperation would soon be 

 undermined if members had the possibility of buying fruit 



