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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 1914)
u 3?XGB J70TJR MRDFOttT) MATT, TRTBUNR MTCDFOttn, OnEflOtf. THURSDAY, JANUARY H, 1014. Solving the Fruit Marketing Problem for Valley Glluie of Young Orchard Juot ConUnRMnto Dealing in Mrtlfiml DMrlct, Ohlng a l'nlui Idort of Kxtritl of Onliunl .Irwt. Tlirrt' re lltimlniN of Si cur Miullnr In Till Returns for the Year for Growers from Rogue River Fruit & Produce Assn- This Orchard Produced $2,461 an Acre in Pears 1913 Successful Year for New Co-op-erative Fruit Association (ny S. V, Deckwlth, Gen. Mgr.) Tho Rogue niver Fruit & Produro association Is n Mock corporation which was organized In February, 2 910, under tho laws of tho state of Oregon, with a total authorized cap rial of $50;O00, 'divided into 5,000 si. ares of $10 each. Tho present number of shareholders Is 338, and tho raid up capital is $29,570. The shareholders, with few excep tion, nro orcbardlsts located in tho Roguo River Valley. Tho objects ot this association ore to furnish to its' members all orchard supplies, of the best quality and at the cheapest cost, nud to supervisor inspect and stand- arlzo tho packing of the fruit grown by Its members and to market tho a mo. Tho association owns and operates sit warehouses, located respectively at Phoonlx, Vo or hies, Mcdford, Cen tral Point and Davis, thero being two warehouses In Mcdford. And In ad dition has completed this season at a cost ot $40,0Q0, a cold storage plant in tho city of Mcdford with a capclty of approximately fifty cars of cold storago, and fifty cars of dry storagc.( All ot theso warehouses aro located, either upon tho Southern Pacific or tho Pacific & Eastern railroads, and thoy aro so distributed throughout tho valley as to facllltato shipments' from tho various orchards whose fruit tho association handles. Fruit Shipments. Up to December 23, 1913, thero had been shipped from tho valley, representing this season's crops, u total ot GC1 cars of apples and 435 cars ot pears. This association has shipped 197 cars ot apples and 151 cars ot pears, n total of 318 cars, and wo hnvo still on hand approximately 17 cars of apples. Wo bavo distri buted pur fruit during the past sea son in various markets all over the United States and Canada and In England, Germany, Australia and South Africa, Our method of handling- fruit Is tho pooling method, which, briefly, means that all fruit of tho same variety, tier sizes and grade is placed In ono pool nnd the pro ceeds recolvcd from such pool arc distributed pro rata among the con tributors thereto. This method wan adopted by this association during! tho first year of its existence and has proven, without doubt, tho fairest and altogether tho most satisfactory way of producing for tho grower the best averago returns for his product. In fact It Is tho only method, in our opinion, which permits us to pursue our policy ot absolute impartiality toward all of our growers. For In stance, in ono day during tho past Dartlett season wo sold tnree car loads of our Dluo Trianglo brand of Durtletts to three different custom ers, at prices ranging from $1.80 to $1.90 per box f. o, b. Mcdford. It wo bad been handling the fruit ot each ferower Individually and not bee pooling Jn accordance with our cus tom, wo would have been presented with tho unsolvabl? dilemma ot hav ing to chooso tho grower to whom wo. should allot tho $1.90 price, the $1.85 price and the $1.S0 price. This fruit was all the samo as to varlet) and quality and all three sales were ; at satisfactory prices.' We have up to dato closed tho Dartlett pool, tho Howell pool and tho D'AnJou pool. Tho Cornice, Dose and Jonathan pools aro ready for closing. We expect to close tho Den Davis pool in a few das and the Wintor Nolls and Spltzcnbcrg pools by tho first of February. Tho New town pool will remain open for some Umo after that dato for tho reason that wo havo decided to hold In our cold storage plant hero about C,00t boxes ot our Uluo Trianglo Newtownt which are in primo condition, lu the belief that In splto of tho prosent and past exceptionally good market prices for this brand of fruit, tho market will Improvo materially during tho first two or tbrco months of 1914. Our averages on" tho different fruits which wo have sold to date. In cluding 'the pools already closed, arc as follows, f. o. b. Mcdferd: These .are averages unon all fruits sold and ,'&ouhfed or tp dattv-lrrespcctlvo of graae or size, jn other words. In glv-Inp-these figures we nro not quoting the.''"pooJ prices tip'on each tier and graflej b"ut rather the averago In each variety of all grades, including sec onds, and In bo mo instances tblro grade and special packs. It Is only fair to say.ln this copuectlon that the majority of our Bpltzenbergs sold and paid for to date are second and third grade. Pears. Drtlott $1.41 Howell .". I.. 1.G4 D'AnJou 2.01 Dose '. ."..... 1.84 Cornice 2.21 Winter Nells 2.35 A pities. Jonathans . $1.18 Spltzenbergs 1.58 Nowtowns 1.74 lien Davis 1.00 We huvc, of courso, sold Individu ally eomo cars of all of tho abovo va rieties at distinctly hlghor prices than tho aboo averages. We havo, for In stance, sold Uluo Trianglo New towns In carload lots as high as $2.25 per box f. o. b. Medford. Wo havo sold halt boxes of Winter Nells pears In carload lots as high as $1.60 por box f. o. b. Medford. Wo havo sold Illue Trianglo Dartlett pears In carload lots as high as $2.22 f. o. b. Med ford, and wo have sold Uluo Triangle Howell pears In carload lots as high as $2.15 per box f. o. b. Medford. All ot these aro actual sales with goods delivered, accepted and paid for. It Is not, however, theso ex treme prices which count In tho end. Thoy go to Increase tho aver age, nud t is tho average on all va rieties and pH grades and sizes which should bo ot most Interest to every ? Photo of KnKllftli Winter Nells Pear Mock" Shown n I Doom. Vfom oio acre of Winter Nellls Pear trees in "Mldvale Orchard" situated two miles west of Medford on the .Jacksonville) road I picked and shipped through tho noguo'lllvcr Frut & Produce asHoclatlou 132214 full boxes 'thTs season, of these 99C full boxes were extra fancy or ''I)luo TrlangJo Urand," 2"3 half boxes of ex tra fancy or "Uluo Trianglo Drand," and 190 boxes ot'eVc'oildu or Jumble pack, Tim Winter Nulllu pool not being 'closed, complete definite cash returns canno,t bo accurately given,. but with only n small percentage of tho crop left to make complqto returns, samo wllfnot mo $2.0C for full boxes and $1 50 for half boxes of tho Dluc Triangle Drand or a total of $2 101,20 for my here of Winter Nellls pears, with proceeds from tho 190 boxes of Jumble pack not Includod, as returns on theso aro not In as yet. One tree packed out 35 full boxes, bringing not returns ot $75, Af tor imlng all expenses ot cultivating, prunnlng, spraying, thinning, picking, packing, hauling, boxes nnd taxes, It Icau-s a not profit 'of over $2000 for tho .aero ot Winter Nellls pears. , Mr. 'John R, Norris is manager of "Mldale Orchard" and to him I attribute much of the success ot this orchard for his careful and 8stomatlc work. . 4l.7ruf' mr ywvrp successful horticulturist In this val ley. In selling our fruit this year wo have endeavored, In so far as the mar ket condition permitted, to uso f, o. b, sales, and we havo suicccdod in accomplishing this In a very largo majority of cases. Only a Hinall per centage of our ciop has been fcold on consignment and at auction, and with ono notab'o exception our record prices havo been obtained by private I sale rather than at auction. j Cold Storage. Wo aro Justly proud of tho groit work wo havo accomplished this season In tho lino of cold stor ago facilities. Our plunt Is well lo cated upon the Southern Pacific rail way, with fiultablo sldo track and only a short distance from tho Junc tion qf tho Pacific & Kastern railroad with the Southern Pacific. It is well and substantially built nnd scien tifically arranged with a view to tho greatest efficiency and economy of upaco, and Is fully equipped with the best aud most up-to-date refrlgorat lug machinery. Tho land upon which It Is built was purchased and paid for by this association several years ago, tho building is fully paid for, aud the uso which wo have made of It In both cold and dry storage ot pears and apples, has produced an Incoino sufficient to pay operating expenses, and all fixed charges, In cluding Interest on tho bonds from tho proceeds ot tho a:.' a of which tho funds wero very largely provided to construct tho building. Tho prices charged for storago havo been ex tromely reasonable, being only about one-hulf ot what was paid by tho growers lu this valley for (-old stor ago last year, aud the offlcleucy o( tho plant has been proven beyond u doubt. Tho plant was not completed and ready fur operation until after tho mlddlo of August, which pre cluded our use of It to Its full ca pacity during tho Dartlett season. Wo did, however, hold In cold Htor ago a few cars ot our Uartlott pears, and It Is a significant fact that tho highest prko wo received this year for any Dluo Trianglo Dartlett pears In carload lots was $2,22 ' f. o. Ii. Medford, which was for one of theso cars of Dartlett poars, taken from our cold storago plant. This prlco was obtained nt auction Halo In New York City at tho very c:obo of the Dartlett season. It Is needless to say that such prices would not hao been paid at a competitive sale, in proba bly tho most discriminating market u the world, unless the fruit had ar rived In perfect condition. Tlin abovo lnstatuo emphasizes our firm belief lu tho uocosslty of cold storage facilities at point of dlutri t'Uton, Tho seller Is thus tumbled to wait for tho fight market, and when ho finds It to know tho condition of tho goods ho Is selling. Another! very great ndrautugu In cold storage at this end Is the possibility during r.i:r pear hlpplng wanou of a short age lu refrigerator cars. If this ever did happen It would, wo bellevo, bo nothing short of a calamity, rur- (Continued on I'ugy Five,) At a public meeting held In tho clt hall, Medford, on tho 4th of January, 1913, the preliminary strps were taken which remitUnl In tlic or ganization of the ltoguo Klvur Co operntUo Fruit Growers' anaoclatlon. At this meeting n number f the fruit Kroner present cxproit'd their dls tatlsfactloii with the prevailing mar keting conditions, and gao as their opinion the belief that a new associa tion, managed with tho strictest ceo nomy so far as murketlng condition wure concerned, which would eleml nate pooling aud gut back to the old s eli-ui of f o b sales, would be the financial saltation of tho orchard In dustry of the valley. The co operative plan of organisa tion was preferred, rather than n Joint stock company, becauvo It would ' hotter safeguard the IntorexU ot tho small growers. Kach member of the nnsoclatlon has one vote and no mort, and the little grower aud tho big grower all have the same olco In lt management. Organization was perfected at a later meeting, at which time tho fol low InK hoard of directors wan elected: J A. Perry, I). Ho. J. O. Core, M. A. Dlckersou, W. 11. Drown, II, A. Gray, Jr., H. A. Njo, II. K. Phlpps, George Andrown. Tho directors completed tho organi zation by electing Mr. Perry as presi dent; 1), W, Stone, vlee-prt'iddont; H. A. No, secretary, and V. II, Jackson, treasurer. lu the selection of Mr, Perry as presldont and manager tho associa tion was particularly fortunate as ho Is a broad guago business man of the best typo with many ears' cxporlonca In tho fruit business and widely known to tho trade. Ho was mana ger of the Itoguo Jllvor Fruit Grow ors' Union until that organization went out of business, and In that ca pacity succeeded In obtaining for tho growers record prices for their fruit. Ilo Is a Judgo ot fruit knows how to grow It, how to pack It and how to sell It. In addition to his dutloi as president of tho Co-oporatlvo as sociation Mr, Perry Ib president of tho Medford Commercial club nnd vlco-presldeut of tho Mcdford Na tional Dank, In operating a business of this de scription wuroliouHcs and shipping fa cilities aro an csuuntial feature, and tho Co-oporatlvo association has no lectcd Its sites for theso structures with excellent Judgment, In Med ford tho south half of tho Iowa box factory block was secured hy pur- j chase at a cost of $7500, which Is' generally regarded as ronsldernhl under the uctual markut value of the' properly. Tho ground spam Is lfiOv 190, flouting on n paved street aud with Its own side tiack In the rear, I The buildings consist of a frame triir!iini 05x150, which gave ample spacu for tio needs of tho association this year, but will havo to bo enlarged lu order to euro for tho hicrunsod ( liiuliii'it which will conic with siloth- cr srnson A warehouse 50x100' lii 'size wn erected cm railroad Und..t .Central Point, just off (tin 'rfio j street ot that rliy and In tho b4l I location the railroad had 10 offtf. ( Other warehouse will bu ertcled i from time to time at different polnj In the valley, as the needs 6f till various sections demand, and It' 'i probable that on.i and posilbly t ,twn new warehouse will be conilftirtu I thu coming camn, ' ' The asioelatlon has handled forty ono cars of pears and sixty-four cars of apples this snnsou, and has four or flvo car of applet yet to ship, tnak I lug a total for this wir' business of about 110 cars This a larger iMinlnem than was anticipated lot tho first )car, and If really a remarkable ihowlug In view of the fact that (ho i Medford warehoiuo was not ready to j handle fruit until after the first of I August and the Central Point .ware house was not rvndy until tho 16th of September, by which time, all tbo early pears had bocn ahlppod lu that , neighborhood. I An Oregon Applo Cleaner and Grader wa purchased for tho Mfd ' ford waruhouso and ucceifuly , operated during tho season, this, wh , tho exception of ono prhatcly onod machine, being thu only fruit grader used In any of thu packing plants of the nlley. Tho advent or tho now association has been ot material advantage to or- j rhardlsts lu all parts of thu valley, In asmuch as It ha been and will be IIM j policy or tho nstorlallou to handle supplies Mr tho lowest possible mar- Kin. Mine and sulphur spray wa sold to members or tho association for i.i rents a ganon, a reduction or about 20 por cent lu tho cost as compared with previous yearH. A similar sav ing was made In arsenate or lead. Apple, pear and peach shook were Hold to growers lu small quunltlos j at tho carload rate, making a suvjo. ( of from half to three-quarters of a cent a unx, III tho handling of fruit satisfac tory prices havo boon obtnlnod dud tho growers have had their moiley promptly. Thoro has bocn no long wait for tho cIobIdr of a pool.'and for most' of (ho New (owns thq associ ation unndlod tho growers got ther money the same day their f riilt- ifua placod on tho cars. Tho alnl from tho beginning has been, so far as wan possible, to sell all fruit f. o. h. Medford, nnd porhups 90 por censor tho nop has beon handlod In this innnner. ' To show prlcoJ obtnlnod by t,hu Co oporatlvo Association for tho growers this year tho following aro taken from tho books. Thoso aro f, o.'b. prices and no deduction hub bojeji mndo fur packing, loading and lb association's charge for handling, ,!n tho casu of poars the charge fqr puck lug was 25 cuultf a box and 1 c'rits a box for loading. Tho packing (Continued on Pag 8)
