Evening journal., 1914-07-01

BChcto VI plChluBs mdIktUuks ETC..
are figured pro rata. They bind the
grower to a three years membership
and should he sell any Of his pro-
ducts through any agency other than
the Exchange, he is fined so much
per package, when such violation is
found out.
One Of acute weaknesses, says Mr..
Hardesty, attendant at many times
Of the exchanges on the Delmarvia
Peninsula has been the unreliability
Of a number Of the growers, members
of the Exchange. They accept the
figures Of the Exchange when they
are better than the market quota
tions but are easily susceptible to
agencies, whose business it is to re-
tard the work of the Exchange.
The cupidity of temporary gain,
causes them to lose sight Of
the larger good coincident to
well organized Exchange and
hence to their own material well
fare. Let all the growers on the
Peninsula organize" says he, "abide
by their organization and in very
short time, will they come into their
own"
COncurring strongly in the pro
posed plan Of a Delmarvia Products
Association is F. G. Bancroft, of the
firm of c. H. Bancroft G. Son, wyom-
ing, Delaware, Master Of the Delaware
State Grange and steward Of the
National Grange. The Bancroft hold
ings approximate several hundred
acres and are largely planted in
early apples. For this line Of fruit
the firm has butt up a strong reputa-
ton both as to its quality and
packing.
When seen by a representative Of
THE EVENING JOURNAL, Mr.. Ban
croft said:-
The plan Of united organization OF
all the growers and Gamers OF the
Peninsula is a most wise one and
shall be glad to lend it every assis-
tance that is possible. It has been
unfortunate that some of the growers
do not recognize this value of STAN
dard quality and a standard package.
On these two fundamentals are based
reputation and l am sorry to say that
with the juggling that has been done
on this score by a number OF the
growers, there has resulted an
under estimated opinion on the part
of some Of the buying public OF the
true nature and value Of the products
possible to be grown on the Del
marvia Peninsula.
"At some of the produce centres
on the Peninsula, the farmers sell
their products to local buyers, buying
for commission men in the big mar
ket centres. Apparently there is a
competition among them for these
goods. In many instances, there is
not, and the community Of interests
agreements among them make it pos
sible so that the farmer can get but
one figure for his products and that
figure set by the buyers.
with the lines so finely drawn by
the buyers, a consequence Is that
very often the grower, in order to
strike fair average Of return for his
goods, gets to topping it, that is,
selling a certain grade Of products
and having the package or basket
correspond TO that grade for the first
several layers and packing under
meath, goods Of inferior quality. Nor
is the grower always at fault on this
score. At times this topping has
been done by the buyer for his own
advantage and when called to account
has shifted the odium for it to the
grower.
Delaware has a state law giving
power to the State Board OF Agricul-
ture to enforce a distinctive mark on
all baskets, packages, ETC., of the
for several seasons and did much to
grower and packer. It was enforced
place the responsibility for the char
acter of the packing and grades. For
several seasons past, this ruling has
been permitted TO lapse, and 1 think,
with detriment to the agricultural in
terests of the state. To emphasize
what I said above, strongly favor
an organization that will enable us
to take the position in the big mar
kets, which Delmarvia products war
rant"
"Give the public what it wants in
the quality and size of fruit and pro-
duce and there will be always a good
market for Delmarvia Products" said
f. NJ. Soper, of the firm OF F. M. Soper
and Son. Wyoming, Delaware, one of
the largest apple growers on the
Peninsula.
Soper and Son have more than four
hundred acres in the vicinity of
Wyoming and have taken high rank
in the apple industry.
Back up good products with ad-
vertising of the right kind and there
is an asset to the future crops Of the
Peninsula that is difficult to reckon
In dollars and cents. My own ex-
perience has taught me the value Of
marketing our products in first class
oua1itv and pac<aqe and fhp ease will,