Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1912-03-19
Improved Marketing Methods.

(farme-s' week paper OF II. L. heyser, fresi.
dent Maine State Pathological Society,"
From man who has spent the larger
portion of his life in commercial trade,
there must naturally arise a protest
against the present business methods Of
our farmers. The volume considered
there is no business in this world so
loosely conducted as the present method
in the disposition of the fruits of their
labor. While the manufacturer and i'm
porter is striving daily to get closer to
the consumer and thereby increase his
profits and lessen the cost to the con-
sumer, the farmer continues to act as an
individual. As a consequence the manu-
fscturer 10 solving bis problem. But in
the line of the products of the soil no
advancement has been made or will be
made until the farmer realizes that
competition is not the life of trade" but
cooperation is trade"
In my humble way l have tried to
make start and went so far as to ascer-
tain the cost of building cold storage
plant with capacity Of twelve thousand
barrels of fruit. and found that one could
be erected for $1,000. The capital neces-
sary for this enterprise was being solicited
among the growers but failed from petty
jealousies.
As president of the Maine Pathological
Society intend to urge the appointment
of committee for the purpose of secur-
ing capital either in local way or from
capitalists for the erection of storage
plant at some central point. Being firm
in the belief that the establishment Of
one such plant will In few years lead to
the erection of similar ones and solu-
ton of this crying need.
The fruit Industry of this state has
reached such proportions that without
proper storage facilities the average pro-
ducer will continue to be at the mercy of
the apple buyer, who is nothing more nor
less than local agent for the speculator.
The apple buyers sole interest In this
great industry Is his commission Of 25c
per barrel, he cares nothing for its future,
this cannot be questioned, when he will
purchase fruit by phone, when he sits
in his motor car and makes an offer with
out seeing the goods, he wants apples
pure and simple; neither can We expect
this buyer to take an interest in the pack
of his fruit, the greater number per day
his crews can pack the greater his profit.
His commissiO is the first rake of be-
tween the producer who this year re-
ceived an average Of 81 per barrel for
fruit which according to existing condi-
tious was 25c per 0ne-fourth peck when
it eventually reached the consumer.
When We consider the producer aver
ages so per cent and transportation about
Der cent OF the consumers dollar, We
can produce the best red apple 10 the
world, we can teach intense cultivation,
apply all the modern methods of horti-
culture, the railroad companies can
establish their industrial bureaus, but 1t
will avail nothing II We continue to mar
ket our products a. In the past. Estab-
lish one central storage plant a. sample
aud it's only step to cooperative ship
ment.
Correct the apple packing laws Of this
state that the public can purchase Maine
fruit With the same degree OF certainty
that 1t is true to label, as in most of the
other commodities on the market and
the battle will be won IS II was won after
Is years of struggle in the "Hood River
Valley"
The leading orchardists of this state
have largely adopted pack of their own,
they are using Boston cold storage ex-
teusively, and without exception show 9
largely increased profit over the old
methods, which proves my contention
and views expressed that We have the
remedy at hand. What greater work
can this Federation perform for the bene-
At Of Maine than help assist In this fight
which the Maine Pomological Society
has undertaken to carry far beyond the
skirmish lines?