Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1911-11-16
Communicated.
Chenille, w. Va,

NOVEMBER Ill, 1871.
Dear Register-The experience through
which large percentage of the apple
growers in our immediate neighborhood
have passed through for several years,
and more particularly this year must in
dictate to them that something is vitality
wrong in the order of things. refer
particularly TO the squeeze play" ex-
ecuted by the buyers this year by which
the apple crop was squeezed out OF the
growers hands by the buyers and little
returned as compensation.
1t was plainly evident that combine
had been effected by the buyers and the
territory assigned to individuals as their
exclusive domain. 1t was further OBJ
servedthatthe cold storage space through
out the country was held by these men
also.
This combination OF affairs placed the
grower and his crop at the mercy OF the
buyer and all know the result. The ex-
perience is still fresh.
There ought to be some means OF cir
cumventing these practices-some plans
evolved by which the grower could act
independent of any combination-some
scheme advanced to "bust' the apple
BUYERS trust. In order that this may be
worked out before another season comes
on, suggest that you create in your
already most valuable paper an Apple
Growers Forum in which ideas and plans
may be presented by our neighbors as
they come to them while they talk over
the "crop" this winter around their fire
sides and at the several places ofcongre-
CATION about town.
1t would be particularly interesting to
know what Sheriff Wysong, w. P. Lick
lider, Col. cambridge, Jacob Osbourn,
and any number of others are thinking
about the situation.
If this Forum meets with your approval,
let me start the matter off by suggesting
the erection OF a Is or 80 thousand barrel
storage plant in ShepherdStownthis COM
ing summer. Let this be done by stock
company composed of at least 60 per
cent of local growers. Select a compe-
tent manager for the plant and also a
selling agent to dispose OF the crop as
directed. This selling agent ought TO be
some commission man who has his fin
gers on the apple buying pulse. He
could be the selling agent of number
of cold storage plants and ship the fruit
from the one nearest the consumer, our
Shepherdstown plant being one diStribut-
ing point. The minor details would
work out as needed.
There is no question but what Shep-
herdstown is soon to be the center of a
great apple belt, even as great as the
famous Wenatchee Valley of the North
west, and now is the time TO prepare for
it. We have the soil, the aeration, the
Climate, the quality OF 1rult, the lntelll-
gence, and the business ability. What
we need is cooperation. Why not take
on that valuable adjunct and thereby come
into our own? In many farming COM
munitieS in the United States nearly
everything is bought and sold coopera-
lively. Just recently the case of the ap-
pie growers OF Hilton, N. Y, came under
my observation. These growers kept
finding themselves in just the same pre-
dicament as the growers of our vicinity
and they decided to get out OF it. They
organized a stock company, erected a
10000 barrel cold storage plant at cost
Of SIG, 900 and have since had no trouble.
The plaEt has not only paid the growers
as stockholders a handsome dividend,
but as growers they have been able to
realize on their fruit good profit.
Very respectfully yours,
]. D. MULDOON.