766 Societies for Marketing Fruit in Ontario, [dec, 



a joint stock company, owning a central packing-house at 

 which the fruit of all members is packed, a charge being 

 made for each barrel of apples packed. The revenue so 

 obtained forms a fund out of which expenses and a dividend 

 on the stock are paid. In this case sales are made largely 

 by consignment. 



General Fruit Associations. — One of the oldest of these 

 general fruit associations is remarkable for the simplicity of 

 its organisation, in that it has no constitution or by-law r s, no 

 warehouse, and no capital in any form, there being only a 

 verbal agreement between the members. Each grower packs 

 his own fruit, and sends it to market under his own name, 

 and on its individual merits. Consignments are, however, 

 arranged by a manager, who directs growers when to deliver 

 fruit, pays over to each grower the price realised by his con- 

 signment, and attends to various small matters. 



A large society which was organised in 1896 has a 

 mechanical cold-storage plant valued at ^2,600, and a work- 

 ing capital of ^400. A part of the capital was secured by 

 mortgage on the property, no dividends being paid until 

 the mortgage was cleared off. The sales of the society 

 amount to ,£15,000 worth of fruit annually, business being 

 done for non-members as well as members. This association, 

 in addition to marketing fruit, supplies its members with 

 seeds, fertilisers, spraying apparatus, and materials, &c. 



Small Fruit Associations. — These societies forward small 

 fruit to local markets. In one case which is typical the 

 society is incorporated without share capital; it buys fruit 

 from the members, helps to secure a good market, and dis- 

 seminates information among the members. 



Federation of Fruit Associations. — In 1906, thirteen 

 societies became affiliated under the name of the Co-operative 

 Fruit Growers of Ontario, with the object of improving the 

 quality of fruit, keeping the associations in touch with the 

 prices offered at various markets, and securing a more 

 uniform distribution of the crops. Reports are obtained of the 

 conditions in the various fruit-producing districts of Canada, 

 and during the season notes on the condition of the markets, 

 the quality of the fruit being consigned, the prices, and other 

 matters of interest, are sent to each society in a weekly report. 



