The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1912-09-05

the growers, not acting in unison, began
to glut the markets. This resulted in
what might be called the panic of 1903
the orchardman's Black Friday. Six
thousand car loads of peaches were JAM
med into few Eastern markets, and the
price of consigned fruit dropped as low
as Is cents crate. Growers were lucky
if they could pay for their crates, freight
and refrigeration; none made profit.
Moreover, many being inexperienced,
were the victims, in certain instance, Of
dishonest commission houses. Ti.ese
houses reported back that the fruit ar
rived in poor condition. What it
brought, only the commission aen
knew, and they would not always tell.
Men who had become orchardmen in the
expectation of becoming rich, bac..me
demoralizcd, and acres Of trees were cut
down, and the land planted il cotton.
This resulted in convention Of grow
ers in September, 1908, and the forma-
ton of the Georgia Fruit Exchange, a
cooperative organization, patterned in
general way on the California Ex-
change. The Exchange subscri bed
$780, 900 of it's 100000 capital stock
among the growers of the State, and
pledged 80 per cent Of them to ship their
fruit through it. The organ cation is
not trust, in that it dictates prices;
but by the opening of more markets, and
wider distribution of cars, succeeds in
getting the full value Of the fruit.
"Under the operation of the Exchange,
no market is supplied with more fruit on
given day than it can handle at a fair
price. If, for instance, the Exchanges
{ New York agent notifies it that New
York can take only twenty cars on a GER
, tain day, all cars abo~e that number are
diverted to other markets. All shipments
go to Potomac Yards, and are there di-
. verted as the agents in the various mar
a kets may advise. Thus danger of glut-
Z ting has hacn ayerled.
, "The Exchange also made arrange
+ ments with the commission house for a
share of the selling commission, which
6 should pay the orga"ization's operating
expenses. A commission house, under
the old rule, charged 10 per cent. twas
! willing enough to give part Of his to the
Exchange for the protecte market the
latter afforded. AS the official selling
agents of the growers, the house also
= saved itself the expense OF sending sales
men into the fruit territory. As the
grower had to pay commission III any
event, he didn't mind paying part of it
for the better distribution of his fruit
and for protected markets.
:: "It is the claim of the Exchange that
r. it benefits both the grower and the COM
-, mission man; the first in protection
against dishonest dealers, in wider and
more equal distribution, in better refrig-
Grafton, and other things which bring
:, better prices; and the second by guar
- anteeing him protected market and a
. certain amount of business.
~ "F.o.b. shipments are protected in
- the same manner from Cutting. Con-
sequently, the commission man has
bought freely this season, knowing that
B. he would not run the risk of a crowded
= market. The managers Office in At
- lanta is kept informed every day by
- agents in the State as to the number O.
=. cars ready to move, by its agents along
GO the route in what condition the ca
~ passed, and by its agents in the market
- in what condition it arrived. The man
~ ager knows at any hour how many car
%, are ready to move, how many are NOV
ing, how many are at Potomac Yards
and how many are in any given market
- BY having agents in the markets, dis
putes between the growers and the com
~ mission men on the condition OF tn
Nv ~ fruit is avoided, and the Exchange act
~ as clearing house for claims. Mere
ne over, the members Of the Exchange ar
ion informed every day, in bulletin, Of tn
ul- crop movement.
he "About 80 per cent of the growers al
$50 members of the Exchange
ars >-----
ced Miss Nettie Smith Of Haughton is