El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-07-16
CantaIoupes and Community Shipments

called TO undertake the formation of a
cooperative organization and as a re-
suit the Rocky Ford Melon Growers
association began its existence. 1t in
cluded all the growers practically of
Otero county, with the exception OF
some who took advantage of the good
prices secured by the association and
sold TO commission men who were trying
to break UP the organization. II was
the aim of the association to market
all the cantaloupes possible, but when
it was not expedient 10 ship more, they
were returned to the growers to be used
for seed or fed to his stock and he was
given receipt. The returns of the
season were divided pro rata according
10 the receipts.
Selling Crop Wholesale.
The Western Poultry and Game COM
pany, of St. Louis, No, agreed to take
IS cars of the crop of the 1897 sea-
son at rs cents a crate, (. o. b., Rocky
ford. The melons were exceptionally
good and the St. Louis firm handled 12I
cars instead of 35. and for the follow
ing offered TO pay 81 1-2 cents per crate
The membership increased 10 500 and
the acreage in Otero county TO over
5000.
The harvest of the 1898 crop began
early in August and by the last week
of the month IS cars were loaded every
day, but it developed that the canta-
lOupeS were not as marketable as the
previous year, The Santa Fe rail-
way offered to cancel what was due
them for transportation and the COM
mission firm offered to pay $4,000 of
the $4,000 due the association up TO
then, if the latter would cancel the
balance and accept 10 cents a crate
for the rest of the season
The proposition was accepted but the
firm was later unable TO live up to their
promises. Representatives of the asso-
citation were sent east to investigate and
reported that poor refrigeration was the
chief cause of the loss. This bad season
had the effect of changing the form
OF cooperation, for many shipping CEN
tiers withdrew and organized aSsoci-
atoms of their own. 4 federation was
formed of the various associations which
provided general marketing committee
of representatives from each association
who had the right to make contracts
with commission men, thereby securing
uniform contracts.
In 1900 the construction of a sugar
beet factory took the attention of many
contaloupe growers, and since then the
average price has slowly increased and
the industry has become profitable. The
hONHS d. y WITH OInerS Wlln0reW
from the association and ship entirely
on commission. the returns from each
car being prorated among those who
shipped in it \ number of the associ-
alton use this plan and ship through
the same commission firm-H. Woods.
of Chicago.
Better for Growers.
Since the poor returns OF 1898 the
federation of associations has also used
the commission plan, shipping through
Lyons and Coggins, the returns how
ever. being prorated at first In daily
pools and later in the season in weekly
pools. In this way there is less chance
and growers shipping at the same pc
Rod are paid the same without refer
ence to favorable or unfaY0rabIe condi-
lions their car may encounter
The presence OF contending commits
sion men has had a harmful Influence,
and instances are known of growers
selling green or otherwise unmarketable
melons to them after being refused by
the association. A bad influence of
these agents Is the constant canvass
ing to increase the acreage even though
experience shows the industry to be
overdOne nearly every year.
Competition is the life of trade has
been found a poor maxim when applied
TO selling cantaloupes on commission.
vor of a cash advance from the COM
mission men. Lyons Brothers Co, Of New
Y ork, and NJ. o. Coggins Co, of Pitts
Of Chicago, for the Kouns party, have