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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)