THE GROWERS' SELLING AGENCY 125 



exchange could not possibly refuse to market fruit from 

 one of its members, for the exchange is the property of 

 the associations and must act according to their pleasure. 

 In actual practice, just as a group of growers, members 

 of associations or otherwise, may decide to form a new 

 packing organization, so members of district exchanges 

 and independent concerns may decide to form a new dis- 

 trict exchange. Or a member of an exchange has the power 

 of withdrawing from one exchange and joining another 

 already established, provided the latter is willing to receive 

 it. Another cause for withdrawal might arise even al- 

 though an association was not at all dissatisfied with the 

 policy or management of its exchange. With the extension 

 of the producing area and the creation of new packing 

 associations a district exchange might become so large 

 that division into two exchanges would be expedient. For 

 a district exchange can achieve better results if the product 

 it is called upon to market is broadly homogeneous. 



Probably the most vital question in connection with the 

 district exchange system and the one discussed most fre- 

 quently and with the greatest difference of opinion is the 

 proper scope of the district exchange's power. Before en- 

 tering upon the controversy, however, this point should 

 be clear: the district exchange has absolutely no power 

 except what is granted to it by the local associations. 

 Though the exchange may advise the associations that it 

 would be to their advantage if the authority of the ex- 

 change were extended, the final decision as to granting or 

 withholding the power rests exclusively with the several 

 member associations. 



Some associations believe that the functions of the dis- 

 trict exchanges should be quite narrowly restricted. Indeed 

 some associations do not believe that there should be any 

 district exchanges at all. But as long as they do exist they 



