317 
kets, and to secure a more uniform distribution of the crops. The 
secretary gathers from various inspectors and correspondents a 
report of conditions in the various fruit-producing sections of 
the Province and Canada, and during the seUing season the con- 
dition of the markets, the quahty of the fruit being shipped, prices 
offered and received, and other items of interest are sent to each 
society in a weekly report. Before the apple associations make 
sales in the fall, a meeting of the federation is held, at which a 
range of prices is suggested as a basis of sales. This is adhered 
to as nearly as market conditions will permit. 
As improved methods of production became general among 
the members of the associations, large quantities of spray ma- 
terials, machinery, etc., came into use. These were always high 
in price because they were sold only in retail quantities by a few 
local dealers. In 1908 the federation determined to arrange for 
the purchase of supplies for all societies. The saving in this 
way is immense, as carload lots of chemicals can be bought at a 
time of year when prices are at their lowest and held until 
wanted for use. Each society is asked to send to the head office 
an estimate of the amount of supplies required, which serves as 
a guide in buying. Other supplies, such as packages and spray 
machinery, are bought in the same way and a great saving has 
been effected. Buying cooperatively has made it almost impos- 
sible for a combine of manufacturers to control prices, as was at- 
tempted with fruit packages a few years ago. The makers of 
baskets from whom the St. Catharines society had been buying 
put the prices of baskets so high that the society determined to 
place their order in the United States. Their order was very 
large, and the prices so favorable in the United States that they 
have since been able to make very favorable terms with Canadian 
concerns. 
The chief difficulty the federation has to deal with in the sup- 
ply business is lack of capital and the need of a central ware- 
house. To overcome this the St. Catharines society is acting as 
distributing agent for the federation. This association orders 
the supplies, holds them till wanted by the other societies, and 
then forwards them, charging a small commission for the ser- 
vice. The federation will shortly be incorporated and a ware- 
house will be built and a manager employed when finances 
permit. 
GRADING AND PACKING THE FRUIT. 
Packing and grading are done by the grower, or by the grower 
with a system of inspection by the society, or by the society. The 
first system is very loose and the only satisfactory method of 
sale in this case is to sell each grower's fruit on its individual 
merits. The objection to the second method is the lack of uni- 
formity in the pack. The third system is the one usually followed 
