CO-OPERATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 3117, 10 December 1913, Page 12

CO-OPERATION.

FRUIT-GROWING ASSOCIATIONS. ' (By J. C. Blackmoee, Ex-Government Pcrnologist ) In recent years there have been some ;e----markable developments of co-operative efforts among fruit-growers, which bid fair to revolutionise the selling and marketing of fruit. In America certain lines of cooperation have reached enormous proportions, such, for instance, as the Co-operative Selling Association for Citrus Fruits in California. Co-operative Apple-selling Associations have also made much progress among fruit-growers in Canada, due largely to the ability and energy of Mr M’Neill, Chief of the Fruit Division, Agricultural Department, who has made special studies of two lines of work —one of packing fruits and tho other co-operation among fruit-growers. By the medium of bulletins and addresses given to fruit-growers, ho has outlined in more or less detail the principles of cooperation. tho more desirable methods to adopt in putting those principles into, practice, and the objects to be gained by their adoption. In an address given by Mr M’Neill on this subject at a meeting of tho New Hampshire Horticultural Society, held at Manchester, United States, much information on co-operation was given. Cooperation, lie pointed out, purposes to gain its end not by stealing or appropriating the product of another man’s labour, but by leaving him free to enjoy the product of hie own labour. Co-operative appleselling is not a scheme to divert the stream of wealth from tho pockets of the general public or of certain individuals to the coffers of tho fruit-grower. On the contrary, it is a scheme whereby those who have eaten fruit may oat it more abundantly and of better quality. It is not a device enabling fruit-growers to get something for nothing, but rather a plan that will enable a man to retain that which is his own, to enjoy it rationally, and to have something to bestow on others. And, after all, the scheme, device, or plan of cooperation is not at all important compared with the motive that is behind it. Rhc moral uplift and all that makes for good citizenship were far more than Hie material blessings, important as those are. Co-opera-tive fruit-selling in Canada originated in Ontario, partly because tho necessities of tho fruit-growers were greater there than elsewhere, and finally because the opposing difficulties were less. In Ontario, also elsewhere, fruit-growing in a particular neighbourhood originated to supply a local market. When this was supplied and oversupplied, then came the inevitable sag in prices, which led the fruit-grower to distant markets, and in the struggle to reach these successfully the Co-operative Associations wore evolved. The apple market was, perhaps, tho first to bo filled, and so Appleselling Associations wore tho first co-opera-tive selling associations to bo found, and they are still the most numerous and important among co-operative concerns. The simplest organisation is nothing more than agreement among a few neighbours to ship a car lot to a single buyer or commission merchant, each man’s fruit being sold separately. In such an organisation there may be no officers appointed, and certainly no formal code of rules governs their operations. On tho other hand, some of the Canadian associations have a most elaborate set of rules dealing with conditions of membership, powers of officers, methods of doing business, such as packing regulations, and the manner in which the proceeds are to bo distributed. In this connection it should bo noted that one of the most successful and largest Apple Associations in Ontario, the Norfolk Co-operative Association, is not incorporated, and has a constitution and by-laws that are simplicity itself, and tho association is working well. This must not, however, bo taken as proof that no stated laws are required or that rules and regulations arc of little importance. All that can be said is that when the men and the conditions are right, laws, constitutions, and regulations are of little importance. It would not be difficult toi give many examples of the following advantages:—(l) Large stocks are controlled by sellers who act as a unit; (2) uniform packing and grading are practised ; (3) reputations associated with a permanent brand or trade mark have been established; (4) the cost, of picking, packing, and marketing has been reduced; (5) fruit is picked and packed at tho proper time; (&) less common varieties are utilised ; (7) storing facilities are better provided for; (8) direct selling at the point of production is now the rule; (9) packages are bought in large quantities or manufactured on the promises at a material reduction in cost; (10) tho purely commercial part of the industry is placed in the hands of competent men, whose interests arc connected with those of the other members of the association; (11) spraying by power outfits co-operatively is adopted in most eases; (12) the manager and the better growers among tho patrons have every inducement to stimulate the less progressive members to better work In these days of big things a few bushels of wheat, a few, pounds of cotton, or a few barrels of apples are not considered to impress tho markets. We number barrels by the thousands. The work, worry, and expense of selling a few barrels of apples are as great as for the sumo number of thousands, and tho risks are even greater. With 100 barrels of apples the grower has to chip to the distant buyer; with thousands of barrels to market the hover comes to the grower. A case in point: Before the formation of a Co-operative Apple Association in Larapton County, Ontario, he well remembered apples being sold as low as 2s Id per barrel on the tree, or, let ns say, 4s 2d per barrel f.0.b., and he never knew the gathered crop to go higher than 6s 3d per barrel f.o.b. A Co-opera-tive Association was formed a few years ago in Forest, Lampton County, the total output of which runs from 10,000 to 20,000 barrels. What is the result? As soon the grade was established, local buyers had to compete with buyers from foreign markets. For two years at least a firm has sent a buyer from London (England) to buy tho entire output of the association at 4s 2d in advance of what was obtained in tho same county when the growers wore not organised. This increase was not due to the largo quantity of fruit alone, although that was an essential factor, but was caused in part by the uniformity in tho grading. In this society lucre are auout ou members. If each had graded, packed, and marketed his own fruit, there would have been no uniformity, even with the best of intentions, but when tho growers brought the products of the orchards to the cenlral pack-ing-house of tho association, practically one set of men graded the whole pack, with the result that the buyer could distribute the fruit confidently and as easily ns canned goods. This alone enhanced the value of

the apples to the buyer 5d to per barrel directly, as it was not necessary to open and close packages. Indirectly, it increased the sales materially. We need not dwell upon this feature, but it was only co-operatively that the full value of this feature can bo secured. Another advantage, the direct result of organisation, is the asset of a reputation associated with a brand. Lot there bo two lots of apples, identical in packing and grade. The one with the work only of a private grower, and the other with a brand, say, of the Forest Co-operative Fruit-growers’ Association, and the latter , will command much the higher price, even though the buyers may know that the parcels are identical. Even tho words “Co-operative Association” arc an asset, and part of the work of our Dominion fruit inspectors is to punish private shippers for using the term. Two men in Western Ontario tried every method to legalise the calling of themselves a Co-operative Association. They put 2s Id per barrel on the privilege. Under the co-operative methods of selling fruits there is every incentive to maintain this uniformity in packing and grading, and to better it if possble. Under the ordinary system of buying and selling, tho old machinery of commerce from the tree to the markets offers inducements for fraudulent packing and marketing; but more important than this is tho fact that he has the power by moans of the central packinghouse system and a direct personal oversight of all the work of tho packers to enforce uniformity not only Tor a season,but from year to year. It is not too much to say that tho extraordinary prices produced by growers on the, Pacific Coast are the result largely of a reputation for perfect uniformity in grading and marketing. It must be added at once, however, that the one grade shipped is that of perfect fruit; but the quality of it, tested either by the eye or by the palate, is certainly not better than the same grade grown in the East. If there was no other inducement than simply the procuring and the preservation of a reputation for a brant}, co-opera-tion would justify itself. So far ho had noted that organisation had increased the market prices. lie would now turn to actual economics introduced by co-operation. Tho cost of picking and packing and marketing is reduced. Under the ordinary system of picking and packing it cost the apple operator on the average not less than Is to Is 3d per barrel; Co-opera-tive Associations are doing tho same work for sd. Tho saving alone would pay the cost of tho association and leave a margin ; but he also must take into consideration that the work is much better done, which means a far greater saving in the end. Tho possibilities of getting varieties picked and marketed, when each is at its best, is a great advantage. This is possible by the co-operative method. The older orchards, especially in Western Ontario, were planted with many varieties, covering tho entire season. So long as the grower catered for the local market only, and picked his own fruit, this was an advantage, and when tho present system of buyers was established only the standard varieties were of value, and usually all the early varieties and those of which there word only a few trees in an orchard, were lost; but under co-opera-tive methods, as ho had said, these wore all saved —indeed, the early varieties arc now even more valuable than tho late varieties. In the case of uncommon sorts, it is quite usual in an association to find enough of these to make a lino that will sell well; if not, they can always be utilised for tho canning factory or the evaporator, which is usually run in connection with associations. Passing now to the productive end, another advantage may bo nodal in the co-operativo purchasing of supplies. An apple-grower is, therefore, not only an apple-producer, hut he* is also an appledealer in barrels. Individual growers can only go to a cooper for the best bargain obtainable. The cooper must charge high , prices for small individual orders, as they involve risk regarding payment, and they frequently come in late. They cost more and cannot be controlled as readily as large orders. Put a Co-operative Association can make even bettor terms with tho same cooper. Many of the associations have their own coopers’ shops, and get tho material at wholesale prices, saving 5d to 6d per barrel. But packages are not tho only supplies that the orchardist needs. He needs spray outfits, sulphate of copper, sulphur, lime, fertilisers, etc., and these can be bought by tho Co-operative Associations at a saving of 20 to 25 per cent. Last season tho St. Catherine’s Co-operative Association bought £lO/500 of supplies at an estimated saving of £2400 to trio members. Tho principal division of labour is an integral part of co-operation. Tho purely commercial side of tho industry can bo placed in the hands of the most competent men, members of tho association. It is quite possible that a man may be an excellent fruit-grower, and yet be deficient in the art of selling his product ; but here wo have an clement of gain not to bo ignored. But perhaps the most important feature that can bo definitely estimated is the educational value of co-operation, and by educational advantages he meant the training of tho members in tho art and science of the adoption of these better met’nods by everyone of the members. Tho various Departments of Agriculture, the press, and publicspirited citizens are ever and always doing the best they can to enlighten the public with reference to fruit-growing, and tho work has a certain value. But tho press and the public-spirited citizens might preach till Doomsday without securing clean apples, and the Departments of Agriculture find their best work thwarted were it not for co-operation A man must not omy know what to do, but must be induced to do as well as lie knows. But even in the art of knowing it in difficult without an unusual incentive to impart tho information, elementary though it may be, in connection with spraying and orchardculture; but with co-operative association tho case is altogether different. The manager has his reputation at stake, and when ho speaks to a member ho speaks only as one having authority. Tho philanthropic individual would gently point out to Mr Jones the advantages of controlling and spraying his orchard, but the manager of a Co-operative Association takes Mr Jones in hand altogether differently. He says: “Mr Jones, in tho packing-house wo have to cull consequently we will have to charge you 2d per barrel more for packing, and your original 100 barrels will only give you 70 barrels, Nos. 1 and 2. Now, this is not a paying thing for you, and it is very' unsatisfactory for the association, and the rules are to be changed next year, bo that every fruitgrower in order to bo a member of tho association must spray his orchard. Now, Mr Jones, get busy.”

ihe consequence is tnat Mr jo.hs lulls mu> ime, g»..0 a spray ouint, ana sprays lua orchard thoroughly, or if ho has boon spraying' negligently no improves -his methods oi doing uie work, so chat lie will not bo obligocl to draw rOU barrels oi apples in order to get 70, losing the other OU through poor work. No rules he could imagine could do this educational work so success!ally as the Coopcartive Association, liven the most stringent laws enacted by Parliament could not he enforced to bring about these results, and when the results are secured in tills way the fruit-grower is himself a better man. It should be noted here what a power for good an association in a neighbourhood is. It has boon seen how it is to the manager’s to have all his patrons grow good fruit. Now Ids interests do not cease at the end of the year. They continue from year to year, and what is true of the man is also true of the better members of the association. All of them are in league, as it were, to brilig pressure to bear upon the loss progressive members to do better work, ihis feature alone is siflicient to commend co-operation to the serious consideration not only of public-spirited men, who would like to encourage every" good thing, but of Governments which wish to bring about reform in a particular industry, Xsargo sums of money are being spent in the United States, as well as in Canada, for the aurpose of improving the methods of orchard culture. The work is done for the most part th rough the medium of print. Experiments are made, and the results are made known through reports and bulletins, which are distributed widely, Shorter reports are compiled for the newspapers. Government officers speak from the public platforms, and all this is good work. But a Co-operative Association with competent men at me head of it will sometimes secure more practical reform than a whole department working by the printed page alone, lie would cite a case in point. The St. Catherine’s Cooperative bruit-growers’ Association distributed last year amongst its members 50 up-to-date spray pumps, each member paying for his own pump. The price, of course, was the wholesale price. The department of Ontario this year offered a bonus for all power spray qutlits that wore purchased by fruit-growers in the province. He had not the exact figures ot the results of this bonus, but ho was well within the mark in saying that the St. Catherine’s Association alone was the direct means of having more trees sprayed than wore sprayed in consequence ol the bonus that was given by the Ontario Department of Agriculture. He did not deprecate the efforts of the Government in tins matter, hut simply wished to show the limitations of departmental work, and the unbounded possibilities of Co-opera-tive Associations. If, therefore, the various Departments of Agriculture wished to secure better fruit and more of it, ho believed they could proceed in no beftor wav than by giving every encouragement possible to the organisation of Co-operative Associations. All other things would follow. Ho would like to point out, too, that the benefits of Co-operative Associations were not cnfined exclusively to members of such associations. A few years ago, for instance, it was an easy matter to purchase land in the neighbourhood of St. Catherine’s, 12 miles from Niagara Falls, quite suitable for peach-growing, at £l4 to £l6 per acre. The St. Catherine’s Co-operative Association was formed, and gradually grew in strength until in 1908 it numbered 200 members, and was in a position to ship one, two, or three car loads of fruit per day; indeed, he was present one day when seven car loads of fruit loft the siding of tins association. In the following year there was a perceptible rise in the price of land in the neighbourhood of St. Catherine’s, and in the present year it was safe to say that land that could have been bought for the prices previously mentioned is now worth over £4O per acre. It is easy, therefore, to see what an asset the Co-operative Association is to the owners of real estate. The increased value extends, let me say, to eight miles in all directions. The material advantages of Co-operative Associations are not to be compared in importance with the social benefits. If there is not ever present the desire to help others, all plans for co-operation will fail. The success of a Co-operative Association is an accurate measure of the unselfishness of some or all of its members before tabular work. FRUITGROWERS’ CONFERENCE. MEETING OF EXECUTIVE. WELLINGTON, December 3. At a meeting of the executive of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Association a letter was read from the Prime Minister stating that he was having preliminary inquiries made from the Government agent at Buenos Ayres, and on receipt of hie report ho would consider whether the circumstances warranted sending a epecial commissioner to South America. The hope was expressed that producers and others would co-operate with the Government in making a worthy exhibit at the Panama-Pacific Exposition. It was resolved that a deputation should wait on the Prime Minister and obtain a definite reply with regard to the position of the orchard tax. If the fruitgrowers’ associations are unanimous, in the event of a favourable reply, a canvass will be made by Messrs Hudson and Allport (Marlborough and Nelson districts), Mr Archer (Canterbury and Central Otago), and Messrs Martoll and Robertson (Wairarapa and Hawke’s Bay).