294 MODERN FRUIT MARKETING 
of all the exchanges were combined thus reducing the cost 
and increasing the efficiency. This organization is now 
handling all of the fruit for 15 companies comprising 
about 15,000 cars annually. 
While it may appear to the casual thinker that this 
system of distribution complicates matters, it in reality 
simplifies them. The exchange can pay more attention 
to the production of fruit, and when it is ready for sale 
turns it over to the distributors. The delegates from 
the various exchanges become directors in the distribut- 
ing association, hence the management is always within 
the control of the producing organizations. The system 
of distributing unifies the methods of handling the fruit 
in so far as the marketing is concerned. Uniform rules 
regarding the harvesting and packing are established, 
and instead of having several different grades or brands 
one or two set standards are established. This larger 
quantity of fruit handled attracts attention on the 
larger markets, enables better methods in advertising 
and reduces the cost of selling the fruit. 
North Pacific Fruit Distributors.—At present this 
organization represents the largest distributing associ- 
ation extant. The four states of Oregon, Washington, 
Idaho and Montana comprise the territory covered by 
the association. All of these states have had active fruit- 
growing organizations for years, some of them having 
a membership running up into the thousands. These 
organizations represented an industry approximating 
250 millions. The great extent of the business handled, 
and the fact that the bulk of the sales must be made 
in other states than their own, made competition in the 
selling end uncomfortably keen. Progressive leaders of 
