The Green Forest tribune., 1911-07-21

products. The most effective remedy for this uneconomic condition, most unsatisfactory to both the producer and the consumer, lies in cooperation on the part of both. First, there needs to be closer cooperation between the farmers and railroads. The interest of the farmer and the public carrier is mutual; one is dependent upon the other, and equally. A farming terri- tory without a railroad to move it's products, however rich the soil may be, would have very little value, and likewise a railroad without a good farming territory to supply traffic would not be worth building.
 The future solution of greater agri- cultural prosperity, with lessened cost to those living in cities, will be in union of interests between farmers and railroad corporations whereby system of more economical distribu- tion of farm products may be estab- lished. Storage facilities should be established along shipping points on railroads close to the farms, where perishable products could be taken care of quickly and before depreciation would begin. Distributing depots should be established in every city in different parts where the products may be sent to the consumer direct, and where consumers may easily come and get their supplies. Consumers may help themselves by organizing CO operative buying associations, where their needed supplies may be obtained at less cost The idea of the individ- ual farmer trying to supply the in dividual city consumer with a daily hamper is impracticable, as those who | have tried it here have met with dead failures. It requires big organiza- tion to handle big business, and the | railroad which has the organization in hand as a carrier need only to ex- tend it's work to reach the consumer with other products 1t carries.
 On this plan farmers will have to get together in cooperation. They will have to put up their products in a more uniform manner; they will have to do more and better grading
 
 many smaller packages It will be as practicable to distribute quickly 1 carloads of potatoes, apples, peaches, butter or hay as of milk The products must be put in the right shape for the system, when the railroads could dis tribute as quickly as commission men, The fruit growers of California for houo plan, and they are making more money on their oranges, that are selling for less than apples, than the apple growi CTS of the east who are following slip shod methods in everything they do The orange growers cooperate and have to live up to the most rigid rules. They will ship the present sea and so well is the fruit graded and packed that carload of 600 pack ages will be sold in less than ten minutes when it is put up for sale at public auction in our eastern mar kets If every farmer in New York state could spend but an hour on the Erie pier in New York City and see | lHe Tdpiulty anu ease "ltH WHICH en- tire trainloads of California fruit are sold every day, 1t would be a revela- l tion to him. Samples from the cars are arranged on this pier, which buy CTS may examine, and when they go to the auction room these are sold. frequently not more than two seconds being required for the selling of a mark Uniform grading and packing are absolutely necessary in this sys- tenn of rapid selling, and this is pos sible only through established stand. ards, to which everyone must come in his work. and this requires CO. operative work.