The daily sentinel., 1909-01-16


n of 1905 were 423.
it records of all stations We're car
possible to show the amount paid the
I not to blame on account of the con-
dition of these pears, but il is our
| opinion the grower would have been
better off if the frost had taken the
pears completely instead of deform-
ing and stunning them in such a man
ner as to make them practically un-
marketable, and while the prices rea-
liZed were very low, yet / am con
vinced that we received all they were
worth.
After the shock made by the loss
of our fruit crop had passed away, we
commenced to rejoice that there was
one resource which would remain un-
injured and that the growers of can
taloupes would place on the market
product of which we could feel
proud, the remuneration from which
would go far toward tightening the
loss sustained by the lack of other
fruits.
The season opened with fine pros
poets and the melons going to the
eastern markets were finding ready
sale at excellent prices and admirers
so numerous that the demand was far
greater than the supply, but our
enemy. a cold snap. caught us early
in the season and for possibly about
so cars of these maturing melons.
This loss was almost as great a dis
appointment to our melon customers
as it was to the growers. and | have
every reason TO believe that we could
have realized more money from the
later shipments than we realized for
those already shipped.
Our apple shipments were so very
| few that this subject is hardly worth
mentioning, but the prices realized
| for the few cars handled were some
thing of surprise to those who had
been informed of the enormous crops
growing in other districts. and con-
sidering the low prices being paid
for earlier fruits, and / believe our
returns are entirely satisfactory to
all who were so fortunate as to have
apples for shipment.
Last spring when we had the visit
| from our friend frost" few of our
enterprising growers saved their
crops by smudging with crude oil and
it is the general opinion, and 1, my
self, firmly believe that we can al
ways save our crops from spring
frost, by IL proper system of orchard
heating, either with oil or coal, and
of our growers are now preparing to
do so.
AS to the financial part of our
business, this does not show up as
well as usual, or in fact, as good as
we had hoped for. This is the first
| time, with one exception. that we
have not been able to pay the stock
holders fair profit on his invest
ment. but we had every reason to
| no piN in ba xyp
would have very large crop and ac-
cordingly made arrangements for a
good force of competent employees.
We all know that ii is impossible to
secure competent help, especially in
the fruit business, ON short notice
and this is one of the things that we
will always have to contend with. We
realize that the grower is entitled to
the very best service that we can
render and we therefore must always
be prepared to take proper care OF
the growers fruit This can only
be done by having sufficient com
petent help to handle the business
resulting from full crop. Each sea
son we are adding more expert assist
ance to our force of employees, there
fore putting us in shape to secure the
best results for our fruit, but you
must remember that this increased
duces the stockholders profit.
Another reason is that box ma
terial and other growers supplies
were somewhat cheaper the past sea
son than they were the season prev
ious and as usual we carried over
from the previous year large guam
tity of supplies. but these were sold
to our growers on the basis of the
reduced prices prevailing during the
season just closed.
To provide work for the regular
force of employees which we found il
necessary to retain in our service
: also for the purpose of eliminating
competition. we entered into con
tract with four fruit growers assoc
iations in Utah agreeing to inspect
and market their crop at reason
; able remuneration. Under this agree
j ment we handled 81 cars of fruit
paying the Utah growers S113.
i51 90: therefore, the arrangement
proved to he of great assistance I,
them, as well rs To materially he'll
this association TO tide over II bat
year.
Our Omaha office, under the man
/ agement of Mr.. II. ID. Foy did ex
; cellent work for us this season, no
, only on our own shipments but thos'
: coming from Utah as well. This OF
: flee. like our own at Grand Junction
/ has been enlarged in the way of NOR
competent assistance and while /
cost our association the past seasoI
about $4,000, nevertheless II ha
been worth to us a great many time
that amount of money.
We find our capital entirely too
limited to carry on this business a
; it should be. During the past yeal