ACCOUNTING FOE FRUIT SHIPPING ORGANIZATIONS. 9 



Iii order to demonstrate on the account sales the net average price 

 obtained for each grade and size group, all selling and handling 

 charges are deducted before the averages are obtained. Charges for 

 packing, hauling the fruit to the warehouse, sinking fund deductions 

 for investment purposes, or deductions made as partial payments on 

 membership fees, do not affect the net amount obtained for the fruit 

 and are therefore charged direct to the growers' ledger accounts. 



THE FRUIT LEDGER. 



The fruit ledger (Form 22), like the mercantile ledger, is made up 

 in the form of a duplicating ledger statement or "bill and charge 

 ledger." It contains the record of the growers' accounts during the 

 fruit season. The sheet is devised especially for entry of credits 

 arising from the sale of the fruit as shown on the account sales. The 

 original sheets are used as statements to the growers and are mailed 

 at the end of the month or as much oftener as it is deemed advisable. 



THE INVENTORY SHEET. 



For the purpose of conducting a perpetual inventory of the stock 

 of fruit on hand in the warehouse, the necessary information can be 

 made available daily by adding the total number of boxes received 

 into the warehouse to the balance on hand and deducting the total 

 of the number of boxes shipped out. The inventory sheet (Form 23) 

 is devised for that purpose. 



THE ORDER REGISTER. 



All orders on account which have been accepted by the organiza- 

 tion to be filed against the accounts of growers should be recorded 

 on Form 24. The register should be held for ready reference when 

 advance payments are made to growers and as a check on the work 

 of the bookkeeper when returns are being mailed out. 



THE SCHEDULE OF ADVANCES TO GROWERS. 



The net proceeds of the sales of apples and pears are usually pooxed 

 for the entire season. Owing to the delay in closing the pools by reason 

 of export shipments or unavoidable delays in disposing of the fruit, 

 advance payments are made as the receipts from the sales justify. 

 As a rule, shipping organizations also make advances to their mem- 

 bers at harvest time at a flat rate per box on the basis of the growers' 

 estimates or on the deliveries to the warehouses. These credits are 

 not written into the accounts, but a schedule is made up showing the 

 debit balances owing on the growers accounts and the amount of 

 credit on winch the advances are to be based. 



The schedule of advances to growers (Form 25) is ruled to take 

 care of both equalizing and variety advances. 

 5896°— 18— Bull. 590 2 



