Rocky Ford enterprise., 1910-01-21
A COMPLICATED PROBLEM.
How to Successfully Market a Per
ishable Crop.

ishable Crop.
Cantaloupe growers may find wor-
thy of their careful perusal the fol-
lowing address recently delivered to
the members of the Washington
State Horticultural Society:
THE present is an age of Special
lists. A jack-of-all-trades is joke
and stands for failure under present
day conditions. For years the hrm
of Crutchfield & Voolfolk has con.
centrated its energies and intelligence
upon the correct solution OF an eN-
tremely complicated problem, viz:
the successful marketing OF entire
crops OF perishable fruits. With an
eve single to this object, we have
studied, compared. experimental. en-
amined, adopted or rejected every,
prime iple and practice demonstrated
bv others i'll the same line OF WORK,
and out OF it all have built an organi-
zatiou which has accomplished results
with which the fruit world is familiar
and which need no comment here.
In response to the frequent requests
for an explanation OF the principles
and practices of successful fruit mar
prepared a statement which we sub
nit for your thoughtful consideration.
A discussion OF so important sub
iect. in necessarily brief form, must
be confined to statement OF tunda.
mcntals, and must refer to general
principles rather than specific details.
The business side OF almost every
great industry of the present day has
been thoroughly organized. except
the greatest OF them all-agriculture.
With certain exceptions. which but
serve to emphasize the rule. this.
giant industry i uuorganized i'll many
OF it, important phases. IN the most
progressive districts OF the country,
among which the Pacific Northwest
c-u States stand well in the lead, the
need Tor complete organization l. be-
coming apparent 70 the least obseTN-
ing. and the time has arrived when
this great. intelligent body of pro
duccrs must face an economic issue
OF the gravest importance.
Modern merchandising * sharply
divided into two great branches; pro-
duciiY- and List-ihuI'ou. On the sub
ject Of the first OF these-prOducuon,
We shall touch but lightly. a this Is
an immense subject in itself. and one
which has had close study on the
part of the producers themselves. who
have brought Il to Z state OF close
knowledge and high accomplishment.
/; stands ~ 4 .plegiid tribute to the
intelligence OF splendid type o! man
am To- the natural resources OF a Won
Ee-iul country Our remarks on this
branch OF the industry will, therefore,
be confined TO that phase OF It which
bears an intimate. in>cparable rela-
tiou to distribution and eNerts 4 con-
stant influence thereon.
Il is now generally recognized that
production and distribution. combin-
ed to make = perfect business organ
ization. are yet. each in itself, sepa-
rate and distinct Each has its own
separate problems. and the successful
conduct OF each requires the employ.
ment OF an utterly different sort OF
talent. highly specialized and widely
experienced. Two bodies cannot
occupy the same space at the same
time neither can 4 fruit grower
succcs Siully study and promote the
scientific production OF a crop and.
AZ the same time. acquire 4 compre-
hensivc knowledge OF marketing prin-
ciplcs and practices. which Is obtain
able only in the market themselves.
Therefore. il seems sufficiently well
demonstrated that, a in every great
industry. commercial horticulture
must be separated into the same two
divisions:
Production and Distribution: Each
completely organized in itself, and At
the same time the perfect complement
OF the other.
The interdependence of each OF
these great divisions OF the successful
business organization. one upon the
other. is vitally close. 4 "lopsidet
business cannot succeed. Both de-
partments must be trained up to the
well the department OF production Is
conducted. and how meritorious the
product itself may be. 1t cannot OF
itself succeed II the marketing is en-
trusted TO weak. incompetent or mex
perienced hands. And the corollary
OF this truth is that no matter how
efficient the sales department OF a
business may be. it is absolutely help
less and utterly defeated. il the pro-
duct which it must sell is of poor
quality or is ignorantly or careiessly
prepared for the market. 1t is per-
fcctly obvious. therefore. that the
closest cooperation. the most perfect
team work. the most absolute conf
dence and harmony between both de-
partments must exist, if the institu-
ton is to succeed.
lndivdual Responsibility. Eng
land expects every man to do his
duty" has been quoted countless times
since Lord Nelson's famous utterance.
because the phrase embodies a great.
universal truth. The personal respon-
Sibility OF each individual. whether in
one or the other branch nj an indus
try. cannot be too strongly emplla-
sized. \ machine Is strong as its
weakest part: a business organization
is as strong as its weakest unit. As
applied to the business OF commercial
horticulture, the practice OF this great
principle means a finished product of
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