62 



Of course the handling of citrus fruit as such, does not inter- 

 est you in any way but if you grasp the principle involved you will 

 see that the matter of extreme care in handling is not one of im- 

 portance merely with citrus fruits but that it holds good for all 

 fruits. 



Now if in bringing my already too long discussion to a close 

 there is one thing more than another that I wish to sav it is to 

 refer very briefly to the matter of co-operation among fruit grow- 

 ers. Almost every line of human effort is ahead of the farmer in 

 having its co-operative organization for mutual welfare. From 

 the Dagoes who attend to the street lights of our cities: from the 

 Irish hod-carriers up to the most skilled artisans in the country, 

 we find organizations that weld the members so that they can act 

 as a unit and when one speaks it is the voice of authority for all. 

 Among farmers, fruit growers are undoubtedly in the lead in this 

 respect, but still there is relatively a small number of such organi- 

 zations in comparison with their field of usefulness. 



Some of the advantages of co-operation among fruit growers 

 may be enumerated as follows : 



(1) . All supplies, such as packages, tillage implements and 

 other tools, spraying material, spray pumps, fertilizers, and all 

 other kinds of materials or equipment can be bought by the asso- 

 ciation in large quantities at wholesale rates and sold to the mem- 

 bers practically at cost. 



(2) . The fruit being grown, picked, packed and handled in 

 every way under the direction of the board of managers it is prac- 

 tically uniform in quality. 



This makes it possible to standardize grades and to adopt 

 brands that have a definite significance in the markets and an actual 

 cash value in selling the fruit. It makes possible the building up 

 of a reputation for a whole fruit section instead of for individual 

 orchards as is generally the case otherwise. 



(3 ). It is possible through the association manager to keep 

 in the closest touch with market conditions and hence take full ad- 

 vantage of those conditions. The manager is usually the selling- 

 agent ; hence the grower is relieved of the anxiet)^ of dealing with 

 fruit buyers when his \\hole attention is needed in the preparation 

 of his fruit for market. 



(4). Under these conditions quantity is not a factor in any 

 individual orchard, as is often the case when a single grower must 

 be able himself to ship in car lots. Quality becomes the aim. 

 This makes possible small orchards or orchards of such size that 

 the most intensive methods can be followed in the management of 

 them. These are some of the more prominent functions of co- 

 operative associations named wdthout regard to their relative im- 

 portance. 



A very large proportion of the thirty thousand cars, more or 

 less, of citrus fruits that are grown annually in California are 

 handled by co-operative associations. Most of the fruit from Colo- 

 rado, Oregon, Washington and other States of the Northwest is 

 likewise so handled. You know something about the relative prices 



