Bureau op Agkiculturb 505 



plant to employ a sales force individually, so the only solution is to 

 co-operate with other growers. 



In the height of the marketing season it is very desirable, and 

 almost necessary, that the shipper be informed every day by wire of 

 the condition of the markets; which markets desire fruit and what 

 kinds and the ones that are over supplied. When the northwestern 

 fruit was first shipped to New York and Chicago, it was so much 

 superior to what was on the market, that it brought almost fabulous 

 prices. The next year, on the strength of these prices, everyone 

 who had good fruit to ship sent it to these same, markets, with the 

 result that they were glutted and the spaaller markets neglected. A 

 grower acting individually has no waj' of knowing these conditions. 

 With a strong marketing organization, reports can be received every 

 day from the principal markets throughout the country, showing just 

 what they demand and what prices can be obtained. They are also 

 in a position to look up the standing of the purchaser, his financial 

 rating, etc. 



Not only is it necessary to know what the markets demand, 

 but it is desirable to know what the other fruit districts are doing ; 

 what fruits they have for market, and where they are shipping it. 

 If an individual in North Yakima and one in Hood River and one in 

 Wenatehee, for instance, all have a ear of the same variety to ship 

 on the same day, unless they have some knowledge of what the other 

 one is doing they may all ship to the same point at the same time 

 and it might be that they would ship to a market that could only 

 consume one car. This practice results in the demoralization of that 

 market, whereas, if the three cars could have been properly dis- 

 tributed, cities that would otherwise have been neglected, are sup- 

 plied and a good price realized on all the fruit. 



There are several kinds of marketing organizations, but the most 

 successful is the co-operative form. Members are usually limited 

 to one share of stock and only the stockholders' fruit is marketed. 

 The idea is to do the marketing for the members at cost and pay 

 no dividends. There is usually charged a stated amount per box for 

 operating expense. At the end of the season, if there is a surplus 

 after taking care of a sinking fund, the remainder is pro-rated to 

 the growers according to the amount of fruit shipped by each. This 

 has been found very much more successful than a stock company 

 where the largest portion of the stock might be owned by one or two 

 persons, and they perhaps not growers. 



The co-operative plan is often spoken of as the Hood River plan. 

 Hood River, Oregon, established the first really successful apple 

 shippers' association, known as the Apple Growers' Union. For 

 several years Hood River had been growing a good quality of fruit 

 but the individuals had different ideas of grading and packing, and 

 many of them had comparatively small acreage in bearing. Only 

 a few could afford to ship in ear lots, and the markets consequently 



