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AMERICAN POMOIyOGICAI, SOCIETY 
products. These agents neither buy nor sell. It is their duty to advise pro- 
ducers as to markets and to advise buyers as to the localities along our linen 
in which the particular agricultural or horticultural products they may want 
can be procured. They also give advice as to grading, packing and shipping 
and, when desired to do so, give information as to the methods of forming 
co-operative associations. 
The Disposition of Culls. 
No discussion of the problem of the marketing and distribution of fruit 
can be complete without some reference to the advantageous disposition of 
culls. If fruits are to be marketed most successfully it is essential that they 
shall be graded in accordance with uniform standards, and, in this process 
of grading, a certain proportion of every crop must be rejected as being 
below the lowest grade that can profitably be shipped to market in a fresh 
state. The net profit to the producer on his entire crop, therefore, depends 
in a measure upon the disposition that can be made of culls. In some 
cases and with some varieties it may be profitable to feed this rejected fruit 
to farm animals, but, generally speaking, I believe that it will be advan- 
tageous in localities of any considerable fruit production to establish plants 
for preserving in some form fruits which may, by reason of overripeness 
or other cause, be unfit for shipment to market, although they may be perfect- 
ly wholesome, and also to take care of any surplus production in excess 
of the market demand for fresh fruit. I suggest that this phase of the 
distribution problem may well have the attention of producers in every 
locality in which it may not have been already worked out satisfactorily. 
The market for fruits in the United States has been steadily growing 
from year to year not only by reason of the increase in population, but also 
by reason of the increased consumption per capita. This increased con- 
sumption may be illustrated by the growing practice of eating fruits for 
breakfast. It has been stimulated in large measure by the improved 
methods of distribution, as a result of which there is some kind of fresh 
fruit in the market in practically every locality in the United States every 
day in the year. I believe, therefore, that we may look forward to a con- 
tinued broadening of the market for fruit, and that, in bringing this about, 
there is a field for intelligent and helpful co-operation on the part of all 
of those engaged in production and handling. I include in this the railway, 
because the railway is not separate and apart from business, as some un- 
thinking people have supposed, but it is a part of business. It is inseparably 
interwoven with the agricultural, industrial, commercial, and social life 
of the people, and every kind of business is dependent upon its prosperity 
and its ability to provide adequate transportation facilities. 
Discussion. 
President Goodman: I regret that President Finley can not stay in 
here while we ask questions. He has appointments that he must meet. I 
am sure you are delighted to know that some railroads have taken up the 
problems not only of care of fruit crops and co-operation in crop culture, 
but also of helping in marketing. 
