70 



ANNUAL REPORT 1919 AND 1920 



A number of our members who have done considerable local shipping favor 

 the lug box with cover, holding about 2'/2 dozen one pound fruits. It allows 

 air to get to the fruit in transit and does not allow them to be placed in more 

 than two layers which is important, especially when fruits are nearly mature. 

 All fruit should be sound and firm when packed. Fruit not firm is likely to be 

 badly injured in transit. If nearly ripe fruit is put in they should be partitioned 

 off by themselves and well protected with excelsior or straw so that they cannot 

 move around. Florida growers have used a tomato crate successfully. It mea- 

 sures 12x12x24 inches, and is used sometimes with a partition. They pick 

 their fruit with an orange clipper, cutting the stem just above the swollen portion 

 at the point of attachment to the fruit. Coarse excelsior is used above and below 

 each layer as a cushion. They ship mostly by express. 



With proper packing it has been shown that our thin skinned varieties, picked 

 at the right time, will carry to any part of the United States. There is no reason 

 why the Association cannot successfully handle these rich, smaller fruits and make 

 them as profitable per pound for its members as the larger, more showy fruit. One 

 commission firm states that the hotel trade is using more of them than of the 

 larger fruit now and that it is the retail grocery trade that asks for the larger 

 sizes. Practically none of the trade knows anything about varieties. Another 

 dealer says that only 8% of his trade asks for any particular varieties. The 

 smaller fruit will probably be the kind the average buyer will first taste. Many 

 will always prefer them because of their rich flavor as a class and because of 

 their convenient size for family use. The Association will have to discover the 

 proper basket or carton designed for family use for this smaller fruit. Such details 

 can be easily mastered when we have our marketing organization and a place 

 where we can iron them out. Box-makers and others experienced in such matters 

 will be quick to help us with samples, figures, demonstrations, etc. when they learn 

 that we are a live business organization and not merely several hundred widely 

 scattered individuals. 



In conclusion I wish to touch on another phase of the situation brought out 

 by a letter of one of our most faithful and beloved members. He says: "Just 

 what part the Association must play in the new and changed order of things is 

 something I have given no particular thought to. This fact is clear enough, how- 

 ever, that when it does engage in the marketing game it will then chzmge from 

 the rather social character it has so far had, to one of a more serious nature. In 

 fact the whole Association would immediately take on a different character in my 

 opinion. Hence it is a serious and vital question to approach. I think it is one 

 which may profitably be discussed at the next meeting." 



Why cannot the purely business part of our marketing organization be so 

 segregated from the delightful social gatherings that we all anticipate and enjoy 

 that we should lose none of the treat in store for us at these friendly meetings? 

 According to our By-Laws the purpose of this Association shall be to improve 

 the culture, production and marketing of the avocado. We certainly have done 

 something toward improving the culture and we are all doing our utmost to speed 

 up the production. Is not it equally important to solve the question that will deter- 

 mine whether our industry is on a firm foundation or not? It seems to me that 

 with the same energy and the same spirit of co-operation that the members of this 

 Association have sho^vn in the past, we can form a marketing organization that 

 will be a credit to the Association and that will assure its permanence. 



