144 COOPERATIVE MARKETING 



lems. They are put in touch with the latest developments 

 in citrus culture or packing. The work of the State Uni- 

 versity, the various Federal bureaus, and of individuals is 

 presented, and helpful discoveries are put to immediate 

 and extensive use. While valuable policies are thus worked 

 out through these open meetings, ill considered policies are 

 much more certain to be detected by loo minds than they 

 would be by those of the seventeen directors only. Mem- 

 bers have ready access to the officers of the California 

 Fruit Growers Exchange or at least to their own district 

 representative and have every facility for urging their criti- 

 cisms or constructive propositions. 



The weekly meeting of the Exchange proceeds some- 

 what as follows : the general manager gives a review of 

 the week's business, touching upon matters both within 

 and without the system that have a bearing on marketing 

 or citrus problems in general. He then outlines certain 

 questions that should come before the directors for dis- 

 cussion or decision. Thereupon the board takes up with 

 the manager any phase of the business, asking him about 

 conditions, gaining further information about his sug- 

 gestions, or propounding new propositions to him. Busi- 

 ness is handled with such despatch and comprehensiveness 

 of viewpoint that little doubt is left in the mind of the 

 observer that here at all events is a group of cooperators 

 where business efficiency is not sacrificed. Then come re- 

 ports from the heads of the orange sales department, lemon 

 sales department, legal department, field department, or 

 other departments which have pertinent information to 

 offer or plans to suggest. These various reports and sug- 

 gestions are acted upon as presented, and at the conclusion 

 of the meeting the directors and all in attendance have a 

 definite conception of what has recently happened in the 

 citrus world and what the prospects are for the near future. 



