Rocky Ford enterprise., 1900-06-22
FLORIDA CANTALOUpEs
IN NEW YORK CITY.
l.. ". Lyon Writes of the Losses to
GrUwcrS Caused by Lark
Of Cooperation.
The Editor of the Enterprise:


The Editor OF the Enterprise:
1t may be Of interest for our Colorado
friends to hear about how Florida csnia.
luupcs season opens: how they nrc han.
died and results.
For about thr,c weeks small lots have
been coming by express from central
Florida; quality and condition ns varissl
ms one could imagine. Up to. and
through last week. anything fine sold at
50 to 81 crate. standard l2xl2x2t. but
the majority Of receipts were small. green.
and picked fully week before they
should have been. Some standard crates
Ind ~ to 30 cantalonpes In crntc. II
they Ind been well nctted and mnturcd
would have sold. but they were simply
half grown. II seems inexperienced
growers must imagine TINT cantaloupcs
grow, make meat. aud obtain its iiuvor
after being picked.
As we stated up through last week our
price Of fine stock sold quick up To 81 u
crate. We sold on Thursday, Friday
aud Saturday Mt 60 TO ~ crate, with
good inquiry for more. We mention il to
show how such sales were affected on
Monday.
We went to the dock at o'clock Mon.
day morning. cloudy, cold rain (June H.
and found five cars on float and dock
consigned TO three different firms. One
Of the firms began selling ut 81 his pick;
another firm put his price to 81. 10 and
before four o'clock, selling at Sl.25.
Let MS look ut the acts Of this firm. and
consider the judgment used. Up to four
o'clock through competitive selling ''as
demand was only for about two cars :,
the price was driven down to 81 .25 n
crate on sound cantalonpes that were
good for several days. 1t was naturally
10 be supposed that the two cars on float
unloaded would have been held over un-
til next day or two to relieve the situa.
ton. but no, they unloaded them be.
tween four and seven o'clock and forced
them on the market.
We had only one car, rs have advised
limited shipments here, one car u day
until demand was regular. We sold ont
early all good crates 81 to 1925, and was
in good position to see the competitive
selling between the other two houses
that made results as above stated.
First: 1t was an example OF unwise
distribution by growers.
Second: Through working through
several channels no one knew what
others were shipping, or where to. Re-
sult.-five cars came to New York, three
OF which should have been placed else
where. for Boston was bare, with $3.50 to
80 market. a II western markets wanted.
Buffalo sold Mt 81 30; Chicago, $3.50 to
50; Pittsburgh, 81 IS. st. Paul and Min.
neapolis calling for shipments and none
there. Under our cooperative plan these
five cars would have been cut down to
three, by having all culls and inferior
quality thrown out at shipping point,
and distributed with result most likely
sales made at S3 to $3.50. Price would
have been maintained on all markets, and
for the three cars would have netted
more for one, than they will net for the
whole three, as shipped and sold by this
one firm, who is large operator in pota-
toes and cabbage.
We, "Coggins and ourselves" are only
working at three points in Florida, tho
other points the growers insisted on ship
ping to two or more houses in New
York, and unless we can control all, we
will not undertake part. And another
point the growers association refused to
permit oversight of packing, but insisted
on shipping everything.
In this line OF thought to control shin.
ments and maintain good prices we wish
It to be known that Mr.. Coggins and our
Mr.. L. NJ. Lyon have done everything
possible with the Rocky Ford associn.
tions to arrange matters SO as to avoid