Milford chronicle., 1883-05-25
PmLApELPHrA NAY 18Th 1883

E. H n1Tickson made tOrcihle presentation Oi
the advantages that would acrrue tothe business
and to growers il the baskets could be sold out.
right and hnd their way back to growers Ihi ouRl
commercial channels as they undoubtedly wOult
it market value was placed upon them. The
practice now is to give away the basket and de
pend on chance for its return TO the grower. Ii
addition to which. practice compels every dealer
and commission man to incur = daily exPenss
for men and teams to watch and hunt up these
straying baskets. The expense in this direction
is ollen greater than the value Of the baskets OBJ
tanned. When there was a want Of baskets lasi
year 10 the peach section, that want could moi
be relieved by Philadelphia though there were
TO be had rs 600 baskets in this city il the same
could have had market value as is proposed
by this effort. The purpose was not to hinder
but TO help the trade and increase the revenue
from fruit.
MID. H. Kenney thought It would be impos-
able to get any more money for the fruit il the
basket was sold with IL and favored deposit
system.
Mr. r. n. Cummins Of Smyrna thought he
could tell the commission men Of Philadelphia
more than they knew about peaches and teach
them something about selling fruit. He COM
pared them uuiavorahly with other cities ana
thought the effort 70 sell baskets came with bad
grace from Philadelphia. He talked learnedy
of "iutures" and "straddlesn and'' buying short"
and "selling long" and ol "Chcago beei." but
failed to reier to any speculation in Sussex bulls
He was followed by the reading Of q number
Of letters from growers and others.
Mr.. J. G. Brown thought that growers would
be benefited in any improvement that made the
package an article OF merchandise, which con.
dillon would interest dealers and transportation
companies in fastening the baskets back to the
orchards for frequent and efficient service. The
basket burden with all its lack of system the
growers had borne with many another burden
through a like lack of system; all this they had
borne to the brink OF the ditch where they Pur
posed 10 unload; and in the near future the
peach business might hope TO travel as other bus
iness by common-sense principles, that permit
ted growers and dealers to each make something
for the arduous labor bestowed upon il.
On motion a committee Of hve growers, five
commission merchants and Eve dealers were ap-
pointed 70 consider some methods for like pro-
lection Of all interests.
The President appointed as such committee Of
ffteen MessTs. R. H. Cummins, Of Smyrna; Jo-
seph Mallaheu, of .M,lington; sellick F. Shall
cross, Of Middelown R. T. Turner Jr., Of Sill
pond, Nd; and John N. VOshell, Of Smyrna on
the part of the growers; and Messrs. G. V. Gith'
ems, Robt. Dix, A. Thomas Jr., T. Brewer and
R. A. Shstzline on the part Of the dealersi and
Messrs. J. E. Hendnckson, J. P. Wilson, J. F.
Hobson, John Baker and Edward Bowman on
the part Of the commission men. This connie
tee Will report to the original committee Of eleven
who in turn will report TO the Produce Exchange.
After the business Of the day was flushed Mr
David Cummlns asked the attention OF the meet
ing while he propOunded q long list Of questions,
the relavency Of which did not seem TO be under
stood by the audience.
The following interesting letter from Mr.. WIN.
C. Barker was sent to the committee atthe re-
quest Of said committee:
To The committee Of Fruit GroiOers, Connis-
sion men and Dealers,
GENTLEMEN: Although am not Fruit grow
er, Commission man or Dealer in Fruit am
probably as largely interested in this basket
question as any one Of you, therefore take the
liberty Of addressing you. Having spent over
seven years in the study OF this subject aud tTav-
eled many thousands Of miles, have come to
the conclusion that the system Of "giit baskets"
is wrong, and decidedly against the best interest
Of the grower; and the k''depOsit system" is
lraught with difficulties that cannot be overcome
with tue great diversity Of interest Ut stake /;
therefore the question is 'what shall we dOp
recently visited the fruit growing regions Of
the South and West, also some Of the largest
markets, and found a system in operation there
that in my opinion solved the whole matter. AT
the general meeting held this p. M, it seemed 10
be the opinion Of some that there are no peaches
grown to any extent anywhere except on the
peninsula but respectfully suggest that you get
this out Of your minds, for there are many more
grown in some sections Of the West though cover
Ing q greater extent Of territory. So use the
peach Of the West in comparison with the peach
Of the Peninsula instead of eggs butter ETC.. ETC.,
as was done to-day.
IN sons Of this fruit belt Of the West, they
sell the basket at the same time they do the fruit;
but the price Of the basket is q specific charge,
separate from the price Of fruit. The grower,
when he ships his iruit, charges his agent in Chi
caRo or other points say IS for every 100 hask-
els, independent Of the fruit, aud said agent or
commission man charges the dealer IS Tor the
100 baskets, independent Of the fruit and the
dealer does the same to his customers and so on
down to the consumer who pays, cents fer the
basket, and they have no return Of temples" 3"
Then this basket having cost the consumers OF
the fruit something they take care Of them, and
sell them, and they have market value. There
are men who would here, and do there, make a
business Of gathering them up and getting them
back 10 the growers again 10 proper shape for
use. Nowarises thequeston Of marking. recog-
nize the fact that each grower wants his own
mark on bis fruit, this have investigated and
found is easily overcome by the use Of small tin
tags cut in different shapes and Of different colors
and fastened TO the rim Of each basket by wire
or otherwise. 7 have also found that these tin
tags or marks can be furnished in large quanti-
ties, and at 3 nominal price which think will not
exceed 10eents per hundred, ready for use. which
is nearly a. cheap as the stenciling. And leaves
the basket 10 proper shape for using tbe second
or even third time. You will readily see shat II
this system should be adopted that the grower
will get nearly full pay for bis baskets, the com.
mission man and deaier will be saved all annoy.
ance and loss, There Is another strong argument
in favor Of 3 plan like this and that is, it will o.
iectuslly break up all corRors on baskets, as
seri that had such a system been In operation