Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-05-15

the largest number of consumers, and
I within the limit of time allowed by its per-
! ishabie nature To do this an association
/ of fruit-dealers should be formed at the
( East; that IS the point of beginning. If
. the truit-dealers at one hundred common
centers within the hypothetical area already
named would agree to receive the quantity
/ OF fruit that market would take, and agree
! to distribute il 10 other fruit-dealeTS in the
smaller centeTS, and from there to still
more subordinate centers, then you have
established the market, and any article of
| commerce travels toward its market by
! law Of irresistible gravitation. The forma-
! tion OF union of producers for the pur-
| pose OF crowding to a market a commodity
which Is not drawn by the force of attrac-
ton is very much like the attempt to push
q rope up into the air. To first create
market hes an effect upon any article of
commerce corresponding 10 the effect upon
water of creating vacuum.
10 briefly recapitulate, as far as we have
gone First, we must produce an article
SO aided by naturally favorable conditions
as to give us superior economic advantages
in its production. Secondly, we must make
it profitable to the distributors to handle it,
| Thirdly, We must so produce it in the mar
kets as to have ii reach the largest number
of consumers within the limit of time al
| lowed by its pelishuble character These
| three things accomplished, and we have
, established in strict accordance with natu-
| raj commercial laws a commerce in our
| product which will overcome all competi-
| ton. In my opinion nothing could be
| more unfortunate to the fruit-growing in
terests OF California than to shut out the
great mercantile communities of the East
| from participation in the profit of handling
| it. Nothing could SO surely bring to bear
against cur fruit product the force of COM
| mercial competition.
In the second place, we may expect
| nothing but disaster from the plan of fore
| ing all the fruit this State is capable of pro-
duc;rg, into a single market like Chicago,
with 4 radius, at best, embracing but two
or three million population. We can glut
such a market by few trainloads of fruit,
and at the rate we are planting orchards
and vineyards we will be able TO supply
green fruit for our entire nation of sixty
! million people.
Permit me the presentation of another
consideration. Every business has its nat
| ural limitations. Our orchards and vine
yards are too extensive to indulge longer
| in the expectation of deriving profit at
prices which keep our fruits on the list of
| luxuries Every article of food has its
competitor 70 introduce the fruits OF
California to the people of the East as an
article of food il must compete with the
| food-use of other articles. 1t cannot do
| this at price which debars the great mass
| of mankind from its consumption. 1t
| must become an economic article of food
not merely a toothsome luxury, TO be
tasted or to be used on rare occasions, or
TO supply the place of other costly dainties
| If our expectations of q market are to be
| founded upon the perpetuation of this rela-
| ton to the substantial fooduse of articles.
| it is time that we cease to plant orchards,
and almost time that we cut down many of
our orchards now in bearing. We must
| give over the notion of netting q thousand
| dollars, or five hundred dollars, or two
| hundred and fifty, or one hundred and
| twenty five dollars an acre per year for
orchards. Our people can grow rich on
net income of fifty dollars an acre for or
| chards, and then we would have the high
est average product per acre of any portion
of the United States. Unless we are CON
| tent with some such reasonable return as
| this, we must cease extending the areas of
| our orchards year by year, in the manner
we have been doing for the past ten years
| in this State.
And as final summary, if proper dis
| tribution of fruit can be secured at reason
able rates; if the largest amount of fruit,
| COlSlHltui Will us ittllSIliDlt Idtule, cdll
| be placed within the reach of the largest
number Of consumers then the object of
associated effort is accomplished and all
other elements Will take care of themselves
| There are some splendid models of this
| distribution which, it appears to me, it
would be well for fruit-growers TO copy.
| Take The model of the American News
| Agency. The entire edition of publica-
ton is purchased 1t is at once distributed
throughout the United States TO the news
stands, news agencies, and railroad news
agencies in proportion to the ability of each
to dispose of the publication. The conduc-
tors of the American News Agency know
by experience how many copies of given
publication each particular news agency
or news stand, or train route, Will take, and
the publication is Immediately distributed
to all in the proportion which this expert
ence has indicated. Let fruit sellers un-
derstand throughout the Eastern States
that they can receive in the most direct
manner the amount of fruit which their
market will take at given price, and then
Frait- Growers Association properly con-
Quoted on this coast to ship in due proper
ton, directly TO the centers of distribution
the quantity which that center may safely
distribute, and that center in its turn can
ship to the subordinate centerS of distribu-
ton the relative amount of fruit which ex-
perience proves each particular locality is
capable OF disposing of profitably.
Because this is practicable and will prove
profitable to the grower and to the distribu-
tor, and advantageous to the consumer, |
have never at any time entertained the be-
lief that fruit growing would be overdone
in California. In fact, its great magnitude
will be its guaranty of success. The knowl-
edge on the part of the dealers that an un-
limited supply may be obtained at reasona-
bic prices, and then its increasing volume
and increased economy of transportation
will ensue, is sufficient inducement to at
tract the attention of the commercial world.
A vast number of persons are engaged in
seeking commodities in which to deal, ont
of which profit may be realized. When
ever the distributors perceive in any local
ity large production of an article which
is at once cheap source of supply, they
will sooner or later organize the channels
of commerce which will carry TO every
consumer the article he desires at an econ
omical rate, and thus stimulate production.
And now let me recur to the considera-
ton which | fear has not been given due
prominence. The way to stimulate pro-
duction is always to create market. Your
efforts as fruit-growers should first be di-
rected to the question of distribution. An
organization should be effected which will
take the largest quantity OF your fruit.
You are working at the wrong end when
you begin by stimulating production before
there is market to receive it. Production
follows naturally and inevitably the de-
mand Supply is forever created by de-
mand. Demand is the parent of supply
and it appears to me that the fruit-growers
of California will find effort in the direc-
ton of organizing the market at the East
very much more profitable than in organ
izing, limiting and restricting the shipment
of their products from the point of supply
Yours, most truly, VIM. II. MILLS
[NoTE.-The letter of response to the
above, by Mr.. Stephens, tending to show
the efficiency of the California Fruit-grow-
ers Association to meet the needs pointed
out, will be published hereafter-EDs
RECORD UNIoN.l