Country Wide Interest Aroused. Growers, Shippers and Dealers Everywhere By U. Grant Border, Chairman, Baltimore, Md. The year 1913 will be recorded in the commercial history of this country as the one in which the terms "Apples" and "Advertising" became inseparably connected, for the great and lasting good of the entire apple industry. The results obtained in the comparatively short time since the Committee was appointed has far exceeded our most sanguine expectations and fully demonstrated that this Association is on the right road to removing the bugbear of the apple trade-under-consumption. As an evidence of the results intensive advertising among retail dealers has produced, we have a voluminous list containing the names of nearly 1,200 retailers in all of the large consuming centers who have taken the trouble to write us of their interest in the campaign to educate the public to use more apples, promising their earnest co-operation along such lines as this Committee suggests, and indicating their desire to increase the market for apples by distributing booklets of apple recipes to their customers. Of course, the primary motive behind this action on the part of so many retail dealers is to increase their own sales and profits, but it is just such a motive that the committee desires to awaken, knowing that through it the ultimate end of the Association-moving the apple crops-can be best achieved. We have already impressed upon 20,000 representative dealers in the principal cities the fact that large sales and moderate profits. instead of the present disastrous policy of big profits and small sales, will bring unprecedented prosperity to all concerned. We are much gratified at the hearty support apple growers and shippers in all sections are giving to this work. We attribute this largely to the fact that this Committee went at its work in a thoroughly businesslike way, spending no money where it did not see that direct, tangible results could be obtained, and avoiding the dangers that come from spasmodic, hap-hazard advertising methods. Knowing that to get the maximum results advertising must be done steadily from year to year, one of the principal problems that faced this committee was to formulate a plan by which the expense of the advertising could be equitably distributed among all who would profit from the advertising, and in such proportions that the cost would not be burdensome to any one firm. This was indeed a task, for it is apparent to all who have studied the matter, that the cost of an adequate advertising campaign would be more than any one firm or even a single group of firms could stand. The Stamp Plan, however, devised by the Committee after much careful consideration, avoids this difficulty and provides the necessary funds in a way that will be scarcely felt by any grower or shipper, and yet brings him, through increased sales, profits that will be distinctly worth. while. As previously explained in The Spy, this plan provides that a two-cent stamp be placed on every barrel shipped, and a one-cent stamp on every box shipped, the proceeds to be placed in the custody of a Trust Company and devoted entirely to advertising. Preparatory to asking the adoption of this plan by this Association we have discussed it with prominent shippers and growers in many sections, and their opinions have been invariably favorable. Mr. F. W. Gwin, General Manager of the Northwestern Fruit Exchange, Portland, Oregon, is one of the most enthusiastic endorsers and promises the hearty co-operation of his Exchange in this work. Among the many recent indorsements received by the Chairman are the following: "I sincerely hope you are going to be able to have the stamped MOUNTAIN CREST ORCHARDS, "I think the stamp idea of raising funds for the advertising cam- South Glastonbury, Conn. "I hasten to assure you of our hearty co-operation in the matter CRUTCHFIELD & WOOLFOLK, "Will use our influence to have every package of apples stamped." "The idea of a stamp to be placed on every package of apples W. K. NEWELL, President, State Board of Horticulture, "This strikes me as a splendid idea and I for one will be glad to ABRAM A. POST. Among the many other concerns who have pledged us their hearty support along whatever lines this Committee advises, including the Stamp Plan, are F. Mertens Sons, of Cumberland, Md., one of the largest producers of apples in the entire country, who soon expect to have ready for the market a tremendous crop which will be extensively advertised: G. M. H. Wagner and Sons, of Chicago; Quincy Market Cold Storage and Warehouse Co., Boston, and S. H. Stanger and Sons, Glassboro, N. J. Many requests have been received from growers and shippers for the "Housekeepers' Apple Book," to be issued by the Committee for distribution to consumers. The Northwestern Fruit Exchange, of Portland, Oregon, states that it intends to distribute recipe books freely in selected territory. S. H. Stanger and sons, of Glassboro, N. J., say that they will place one in every home in their town. Mr. Abram A. Post, of Stanley, N. Y., is planning to send out one in each of his packages next Fall. This interest extends throughout the entire trade. Once this booklet is placed in the hands of the housewife, her use of apples will be doubled or trebled, for, introductory to the recipes and across the top of every page, the benefits derived from the use of apples are preached in words that compel response. Here is a sample of the profitable doctrine the booklet preaches: "In buying apples, don't overlook the economy of purchasing them in considerable quantity. You pay more when you buy them by the quart or quarter-peck. Ask your dealer to make you a special price on a peck, bushel, box, or barrel. They'll keep as long as you require them and the saving will be substantial." Large business for the retailer. Better prices for the consumer. Unprecedented prosperity for every apple producer. We believe that proper advertising will accomplish each of these results. Judging by the work accomplished with small means and little time, thoughtful apple producers and dealers must concur in this belief. The Roll of Honor--- Read the Names We Want Yours Here Next Month Since December 12th eleven new members have been received. Their names and addresses follow: North American Provision Co., 727 Postal Telegraph Building, Chicago, Ill. Peycke Bros. Commission Co., Kansas City, Mo. Railsback & Sons, 1303 I St., Bedford, Ind. W. N. Gleason Co., Bridge and Mechanic Sts., Worcester, Mass. Gomez & Co., 25 Stanley St., Liverpool, England. White & Son., Ltd., Humber St., Hull, England. Ridley-Houlding & Co., 10 Russell St., Covent Garden, London W. C. A. E. Griesser Fruit & Produce Co., 109 S. Washington Street, Peoria, Ill. W. M. Howden, Skidmore, Mo. Hays Fruit Co., North Yakima, Washington. The Association extends a warm welcome to them. We believe the affiliation will prove both pleasant and profitable. These new members are credited to the loyal efforts of the following old members: W. L. Wagner (2); R. H. Jones (1); J. H. Hile (1); W. H. Blodget (1); W. T. Seibels, of the Gibson Fruit Co., (2); Simons, Shuttleworth & Co., (1); Jac. Stich (1); Charles Dickinson (1): Thompson Fruit Co. (1). Starting with last August W. L. Wagner, of Chicago, holds the individual record. He has brought in three; H. M. Weil two, and the Gibson Fruit Co., between Mr. N. G. Gibson and Mr. Seibels, three. THE MAY CAMPAIGN. After the middle of May it is expected that the Executive Committee will follow the custom of the last two years and permit the reception of new members on the basis of $25.00, their dues to be credited in full to one year from August. The Association year commences August 1st. To facilitate proper investigation and to save crowding at the last moment, applicants receive this inducement to get in early. In other words they get two months free of cost after the issuance of the last storage report. We want everyone on his toes for the campaign. Special pamphlets and cards will be ready by the middle of May. Let us see who will win the medal in the Membership Contest. Every bona-fide operator in green apples upon his own account, who has been such for at least one year and whose reputation for fair dealing, commercial probity and financial stability is good, is eligible to membership. WE NOW HAVE A MEMBERSHIP OF OVER 500. LET US MAKE IT 600. The Value of Your Membership Demonstrated By Chicago A Great Guessing Contest and the Lesson it Teaches Chicago, March 12, 1913. Mr. R. G. Phillips, Rochester, N. Y. Dear Sir: Of what value is a membership in the International Apple Shippers' Association is a question that is often asked by the prospective member. As illustrating the real value, note the following: On March 2nd and 3rd some genius with a bump of curiosity started a guessing contest among members of the International Apple Shippers' Association here on South Water Street. The game was to see who could guess the nearest to the total reduction shown by the storage report for March 1st as applied to the United States and Canada, a guess to be made in figures as based upon barrels. Each guesser contributed toward a prize for the winner. Twenty-eight guesses were registered and every one of them made by real handlers of apples. With names omitted the guesses were as follows: 1 2 3 1,000,000 15 1,560,300 from There is not a man of these twenty-eight who does not think that he knows something of the apple business and who is not as well informel as at least the average man in the business. Regardless of this, though, just note the divergence in opinion, the guesses ranging all the way 1,000,000 to 2,CCC,CCO barrls. Of the twenty-eight, four, or approximately 14 per cent. of the total, really had closes guesses, the rest being anywhere from sight distance to out of sight. Even the four would not contend that another month they could guess as closely. Now the question is, what is a membership worth? Can any one compute the actual value of accurate knowledge? Each man's feeling toward the market must be based upon his views as to the quantity held and the total consumption. This being the case, you find a range in these guesses running all the way from a feeling that everything is going to the dogs to a feeling of extreme optimism. One being disposed to "shoot the goods," regardless of price, the other extreme having faith in advancing markets. Without the organization and the steadying influence of accurate knowledge, what would the market be if twenty-eight men with all of the information that the Association has given them and with an accurate knowledge of the December and January movement before them, should vary as much in their judgment as this? What would be the guesses of a like number of men who know nothing of the Association and its workings. Fortunately the members of the Association are in such preponderating numbers and the influence of the Association is so strong hecause of this that the non-member is by sheer weight of this preponderance influenced and guided in his actions. Without the Association everything would be chaos. A membership in the Association is worth just the difference between success and failure; a difference that is mighty difficult to estimate altogether in dollars and cents, but surely worth tens to hundreds of times its cost. depending upon the volume of one's operations. It strikes us that this illustration is food for thought for the member as well as for the non-member and this thought properly digestel should lead to a greater interest in the organization and to the individual effort of every member to see that every non-member operator is brought into membership. Yours truly, G. M. H. WAGNER & SONS. Special Notes Foreign Travel-The Chairman of the Executive Committee. Mr. Patch, and his daughter are touring Europe, expecting to return May 1st. On March 18th they will be in Naples. |