Evening star., 1901-07-22

the business nearly all such crops were
| sh1pped on commission, and at the present
time many OF the more perishable crops
are still mostly sold in this way. 1t has
| the advantage OF giving the producer the
| Iull benefit Of the market but on the other
| nand he must assume all the risks Of loss
| the very considerable risk Of loss through
clshonest agents. since by this system the
| commission merchant has things prac-
ucally In his own hands.
California Fruit Shippers,
Inc California fruit shippers. realizing the
ura"oacks to selling on commission, some
years ago inaugurated system of auction
sales IN many of the large cities This has
peen 80 successful that the great bulk Of
| the fresh fruit shipments from that state
are now sold in this way. Cargoes of for
elgn fruits are also often disposed Of at
auction, but for some reason the system ha 6
been little taken up by eastern produce
Shippers, though it has been much discussed
ana seems to have some ADVANTAGES The
Shippers or eastern produce are so widely
scattered that 1t has been impossible ia
unite them in giving this or any other sys-
tenn recurring concerted action a fair trial
A still further development in shipping
mas been attempted at some points. The
growers have pooled their interests and now
load solid cars, which their shipping agent
is empowered to either sell on track or con-
sign as Whole to any market that from
the latest advices. seems to be most desir-
able.
Many devices have been tried for SO con-
trolling shipments as to secure judicious
distribution Of perishable goods, thus avoid
ing the disastrous glutting Of one market
when perhaps some other one has an in
adequate supply. Local, district and even
state associations have been formed with
agencies for securing market reports for
experimenting the distribution and for di-
verting shipments from point to point as
indicated by the latest telegraphic advices
Even when in competent hands and hon.
estly administered these associations have
not always been successful, since products
are going forward at the same time from
so many competing sections that 1t has not
been possible for them to keep posted as to
the movement from the different points, es-
pecially as an unusually high price from
any market generally attracts shipments
from many quarters.
Any plan that would really accomplish
the result Of avoiding gluts would he Of
untold good to the entire trucking inter-
est, benef1ttng equally both growers and
dealers. During the last few years an eX-
pertinent has been tried in the direction
of national organization for this purpose
by the formation Of the American Fruit
Growers Union. This is regularly char
tered company, Of which any bona fide
fruit grower may become a member by the
payment Of a small fee. The members are
required to pledge themselves to ship no
fruit or produce on commission, but either
to sell at the shipping point, which is al
ways advised when such sale Is possible,
or through the regular accredited agents
of the union.
Success Claimed.
So far the friends Of the union claim for
it very f1attering measure OF success,
and it seems to be rapidly gaining in pop
ularity. Its continued success, will in Prof.
Earle's opinion, depend almost wholly on
the ability Of the central management AS
the business increases 1t will, he says, re-
Quire alertness and business ability Of the
very highest order to avoid occasional mis-
takes that would give widespread dissatis-
faction, but Is powerfully hard to get ship
pers to combine, even where most obvious
ly for their good. and they are always
jealous of granting such absolute powers.
The final result of this experiment will
Prof. Earle thinks, be watched with much
interest, but he asserts those who have
had most experience In similar attempts
will understand best the difficulties in the
way Of achieving lasting success.
The kind Of packages used in handling
the different truck crops varies greatly in
the different trucking regions. and they
are now in many cases very different from
those that were used in the early days of
the business; thus berries of all kinds were
formerly marketed in heavy shallow draw
ers. put up four or five together in stands.
The berries were Scooped up with a quart
measure when sold at retail and the empty
packages were returned to the grower to
be used over and over This answered
Ialrly Wen nearby markets., Out lne
bulk of fruit massed together was too
great for distant shipment, and the rehand-
ling when sold caused it to reach the con-
sumer in bruised and bleeding condition,
In the west the greater average distance
for shipments early neceSsitated the adOp-
tion Of some suitable package. After many
trials the cheap gift package made of thin
veneer was devised, which in some of it's
forms Is now SO universally used. In the
east the inconvenience of return packages
was endured much longer, but they have
fact, 1t would be entirely impossible to
handle the present volume of business in
any but gift packages.
In the west the popular package for
most tree fruits, tomatoes and many other
vegetables was for rmany years a rectin-
gular box holding third of a bushel, with
same ends or heads and veneer sides. This
package finally became discredited through
the pernicious practice of placing the best
middle of the box with culls. 1t is now
comparatively but little used.
Regarded as Greatest Drawback.
There has been no greater drawback to
the trucking industry. Prof Earle says, than
the various forms of dishonest or false
packing, and 1t Is, indeed, remarkable that
scme growers will be SO shortsighted as
to continue the practice when its evil ef-
fects are SO well understood. In the east,
open slat basket holding about five-eighths
of bushel, has long been a popular pack
age for tree fruits, and many vegetables.
1t Is a cheap package, and one in which the
labor Of packing is reduced to a minimum.
In many ways 1t Is very satisfactory. In