The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1908-10-15

fairly good as there is but light crop
In most of the East"
| know nothing about the facts here
set forth except what appears in this
quotation, but | republish this state
ment for the purpose of making some
comments. 1t is quite natural for
growers to object to prices being low
er than last year. This right to kick
is one of the inalienable rights as we'll
as life, liberty and the pursuit of hap
piness." We may easily forget that
once we thought this years prices very
good. Ten years ago when we had
our first good peach crop, we thought
40 cents a box a good price. l sold
5000 boxes that year and the price did
not average 40 cents. 1t is true that
the cost of hired help boxes and paper
were much less than now. Peaches
last year at so cents per box f. o. b.
were enormously profitable. We must
not expect such prices this year. The
grower must expect that in some sea-
sons of great plenty the prices will
rule so low that but little profit will
be realized All these things must be
remembered.
While l would caution growers
against complaining without just
cause, there is something to be said
on the other side. There is no legiti-
mate objection to buyers organizing
and in using all laudable efforts to Sc
cure clean and we'll packed fruit, yet
when they use their organization to
keep down prices to the grower and
make more money out Of his fruit than
he does when all expenses are paid,
then it is time to kick There are
buyers and buyers-some are honest
and some are not If some of these
INSCRIPTIONS men should get into the
control of the buyers association and
set the price from day to day, they
would skin the growers to finish.
There is, in such an event, but one
thing for the growers to do, and that
is to organize and sell their own fruit.
I do not say whether the provocation
is sufficient in the case mentioned
here, for I am unacquainted as to what
has been done. | do know that such
conditions may arise when the growers
will be compelled to use their rights.
If the buyers are wise they will pro.
coed with caution or lose their bust
ness.
I am in receipt of letter from w.
P. Stark, of Louisiana, Mo-, who in
company with James NJ Irvine, the edi-
tor of the Fruit-Grower visited Yaki-
ma county about the first of Septem-
Der. AS throwing some light on the
question of dispoSing of our fruits, l
quote this letter in part here: "Mr.
Irvine and the writer returned the 10th
(September), making our last stop in
the Bitter Root country, another great
valley. How are you getting along
with the fruit crop in Washington?
We undertook to buy some good
peaches and apples at Billings; they
had a few very common California
peaches and some Gull Transparent ap-
pies. What contrast to your mag
nifcent Albertas, etc.. At this very
time the market price in North Yaki-
ma was low on peaches and yet good
markets reasonably distant unsupplied.
Proper distribution is the secret of
future success" This condition re-
vealed by this statement from Mr.
Stark is very suggestive. No doubt it
would have paid a few growers very
well to have kept an agent at Billings
or some other point in that part of
Montana and to have sent him car
loads to be distributed in the nearby
towns. l am somewhat surprised that
some of our enterprising buyers did
not bountifully supply the Billings mar
ket. | think Mr.. Stark expresses the
truth very forcibly when he says that
proper distribution is the secret of
future success" The buyer who will
treat the growers fairly and not allow
himself to be bound hand and foot by