Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1923-11-09
GRAPE GROWERS MAY
FORM AN ASSOCIATION
State Board Of Agriculture Gathers
Information Showing How York
State Crop Is Marketed.
FRUIT SOLD In POOLS THERE
Three-Day Pool Price Is Paid To
Members Of The Association.
Has Proven Successful.

In order to assist the grape grow
efs Oh Delaware in the proper forma-
ton OF a proposed association for
handling their grapes, the State Board
OF Agriculture, through the Bureau of
Markets, has secured direct informa-
ton regarding the methods of some
OF the successful Grape Associations
in New York State. There are 10000
acres of grapes along the lake section
In New York, and of this acreage one
association handles the grapes from
approximately 10000 acres. The
methods of this association were care
fully studied, inasmuch as it may be
considered successful having been in
business % years and still continuing
to grow.
This association in addition to mar
keting the grapes, sells the farmer
fertilizer, posts, wire and baskets.
While 1t does not sell at actual cost,
but adds a small margin for running
expenses, it has been able to mater
tally reduce the cost of these products
to the farmers. The grapes are hand
led at certain percentage of the
gross sales for marketing, this per-
centage is usually from 3 to per
cent, and is agreed upon for the year
before the season starts. The grower
knows taht he is going to receive the
actual price that his grapes sell for,
less this cost for marketing. All
grapes are shipped in one Of two
grades the first class are shipped la
beled, and the second class are ship !
ped and sold as unlabeled stock. A |
manager is employed at certain sal |
airy to run the business of the associ-
alton and do the selling, and he is re-
sponsible for proper business meth
DDS and management. A board of di-
rectOrs, usually consisting of nine men
Is selected by the growers and they
employ the manager, the manager in
urn employs any additional help that
IS necessary. No one can belong to this
unless he is a grape grow
II. All contracts are made with the
MEMBERS for period of five years, but
With the priviso that any member may
withdraw from the association at the
nd Of any one year. The manager of
he association employs an inspector
whose duty is to inspect the grapes
nd see that they are loaded proper
Y.
All grapes are sold in pools of three \
avs each, that is all grapes loaded 9
n Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday :,
re pooled, and the grapes loaded on =
thursday, Friday or Saturday are ~
ooled and all growers shipping in =
lther of these three days receive the 9
anne price. This year the. association :
dvanced the growers $4,000 per ton -
the time the grapes were loaded, ~
lie remainder Of the selling price is ~
OF distributed until the pools are :,
Ompleted and all settlements made. It ~
expected that the average price to =;
lie growers this year will be about g
$500 per ton, although settlements .,
'e not yet complete, in any event the 81
'ower knows that he will receive the ",
,tual selling price, less the stipu- NJ
ted cost for marketing. The cost for ~
Lskets this year was $1,000 per thous- 10
Id to the members of the association, "
I'd the payment for baskets will be u
ducted from the final settlement to -,
e grower. -
Among other interesting things no. ~
d was that most of the growers in ~ ~
at section prefer straight nitrate of ~,
da for fertilizer, using from 200 to ~ ~
0 pounds per acre, practically all -
1eyards are set 815 x feet. -,
Inasmuch as the proper time to ~ ~
y baskets is in January or Febru- IN IN
y, it is not too early for Delaware -.
ape growers to begin making their 20
ms. A copy Of the contracts used o.
the New York State Associations ~
on file in the Office of the Bureau of ~ ~
.rkets and Wilmer T. Derickson will "a "a
glad to supply other detailed in ~
nation to the growers and render l rlc
the assistance possible. So