The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1917-06-29
EXCHANGE PLANS BIG
PUBLICITY MPA|GN
Directors Hold Regular Meet
ing-Prospects Bright
Give Money to Red
Cross.

The Florida Citrus Exchange will
supplement the work of it's sales
forces at the North with an extensive
newspaper advertising campaign dur
ing the coming season.
An appropriation of money suff-
cient to conduct this publicity CAM
paign was made at the regular MONTH
! ly meeting of the board of directors
of the Exchange held here yesterday,
by a two-thirds vote after an ami
mated and extended discussion.
In the proceedings the merits Of
advertising and of the various forms
of media heretofore used were thor
oughly gone into. 1t developed that
the organization has on hand enough
recipe books, store cards, ETC., to last
another season and that no method
of advertising yet tried had shown
as good results as those derived from
newspaper space.
Some of the directors felt that in
view of the short crop of fruit due to
the freeze and the drouth, the adver-
tisino should be abandoned for one
year at least. The prevailing SEN
timent was to the effect that this
would be an unwise policy, increasing
sales costs in other fields to more
than equal the amount that would
be saved.
Information presented to the board
gave assurance that the California
growers of citrus fruits will adver-
tise next winter more extensively
than before and that Porto Rico grow
er swill spend ten cents a box in CIV
ing publicity to their product. 1t
was brought out that with the gener-
al tendency to economize, citrus fruits
will be in smaller demand than usual
unless the public can be made to re-
gard them as necessities rather than
as luXuries.
Healthfulness of Product.
Accordingly the Florida Citrus Ex-
change will emphasize the health
preserving qualities of oranges and
grapefruit in it's advertising, Atten-
ton also will be paid to the food val
ue of these fruits. The Scaldswest
trademark of the Exchange will be
featured as the consumers guide in
buying and protection as to quality.
AS heretofore, the advertising will be
placed through the Thomas Advertise
ing Service, of Jacksonville and
Tampa, under the direction of the
advertising committee and executive
officers of the Exchange.
The meeting yesterday was well at
tended and enthusiastic. Only three
direc orS were absent-Carter of
Dadc, Klock of Marion, and Raymond
of Lee. Estimates of the proba-
BILE amount of fruit to be marketed
next fall and winter made by men,
bers of the Board varied according
to locality but indicated a crop of
from two-ffths to one-half the nor
NAL production. The recent rains
have caused heavy bloom in several
communities and there may be an I'M
eXpec eddy large output of late fruit
The Board voted to contribute 500
of the campaign for funds for the
Red Cross now under way here and
throughout the country. Action also
was taken for carrying the life in
surance and holding open the posi-
'tions of certain valued employees who
may be called on for military service
under the selected draft. The salary
committee reported the schedule un-
der which officers and employees will
be paid during the coming year. Sun
drv other matters OF routine bust
ness we're given consideration.
Vegetable Handling a Success.
Decided upon only two months ago,
after the bulk of vegetable and small
fruit growers had shipped their crops
or had made marketing arrangements,
| ba bS,o l1ipr IF trI,ply o,,J ,,,a1onc h1,
. the Exchange has developed already
into business of considerable volume
and much promise. Ways and means
Of increasing the efficiency of the
organization in this field and of CIV
ing it a greater amount of produce
to market were gone into quite at
length in the meeting yesterday.
While vegetable growers will be
urged to form local associations
wherever practicable and in this way
become IN integral part of the Flor
da Citrus Exchange, for the pres
ent tie privilege of shipping through
the organization will not be con-
fined to members. Many growers
already are under contract with 9TH
err marketing agencies for portions of
their crops, but will be glad to avail
Themselves of the service of the Ex-
change on the remainder and ulti-
mately to sell all their production un-
der it, direction.
Business Manager c. E. Stewart,
Jr., expressed himself after the meet
ing yesterday as highly pleased with
the General outlook for the Exchange
rejecting the views of the members
and directors who were in the city.
Sales Manager F. L. Skelly was cheer
full over the decision to keep the ad-
vertising going, feeling that with it
he can obtain for growers better pric-
es than if none was done DIR. J. H.
Ross, the veteran president, left for
his home at Florence Villa before he
copuld be Observation-Disclosures Tri-