PROCEEDINGS OF THIRTY-SIXTH FRUIT-GROWERS J CONVENTION. 105 



force of salesmen and a good knowledge of market conditions gained 

 from several years' experience, we are able to command the best trade 

 in the country. Our record of cars placed in the private-sale markets 

 during the past two years is enviable. This system of catering to and 

 building up the private-sale system has been the means of returning to 

 growers marketing through us good returns in the face of the depressed 

 market conditions of 1908 and 1909. 



We shall now take up the matter of distributing the fruits in the 

 markets. This feature embraces a very large field. The present mar- 

 keting system of the exchange is the outgrowth of several years ' experi- 

 ence. The marketing of deciduous fruits necessitates considerable 

 detail, on account of the many varieties and the different districts in 

 which they are grown. It has required careful study to find out the 

 markets that will take certain varieties and the varieties that will 

 stand transportation to the various markets. The country from Chicago 

 east will take varieties of a different nature than the markets west of 

 that city. This is largely on account of home-grown varieties in the 

 East. Likewise, the markets of the north and those of the south take 

 varieties that are unsalable at profitable figures east of the Rockies. 

 In the marketing of California fruit we have to be most careful to avoid 

 home-grown crops, as they are often preferred to the imported article 

 on account of the quantity, ripeness, and low freight rates. We also 

 find local prejudice often interferes in favor of home fruits. The ter- 

 ritory east of Chicago is practically all under the auction system, and 

 that north, south and west under the private sale. After very careful 

 consideration, we determined to make two central points — Omaha for 

 private sale and Chicago for auction. This system has proven very 

 satisfactory, especially at the loading points, where the association 

 manager is able to take certain varieties and put them into cars that 

 he is sure will go to auction and other varieties that will meet with 

 good sale in the West. 



We aim to assort cars at all time to suit the Western market, and 

 in this way develop distribution. This assorting requires a great 

 amount of detail. We ship a great number of part cars from one dis- 

 trict to another to assemble the required assortment. If the ear is 

 delayed it requires a careful inspection, so as to keep the fruit that has 

 ripened out of Eastern cars. In filling orders this year we assembled 

 a great many cars at additional expense to ourselves. But the cars 

 thus assorted usually were accepted at satisfactory prices and more 

 than repaid the local freight and other expenses. 



We furnish circulars regularly to our agencies, showing the time 

 varieties will be in season. We also issue a circular each year giving 

 a very complete list of the estimated ripening dates and time ship- 

 ments will begin and end. The agents by following the same are in 

 a position to tell their trade ahead of time just about the varieties to 

 expect and thus be in a position to calculate on future requirements. 



The packing is all done at home or in the orchards, with the excep- 

 tion of Fresno, Acampo, and Lodi where some of the fruit is hauled to 

 the shipping houses in lug boxes and there packed. The house managers 

 endeavor to inspect all packs as delivered and reject when below 

 standard. We make a special effort to load all fruit the day it is 



