Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-11-16
THE FRUIT-GROWERS.
SIXTH ANNUAL CONVENTION
BEING HELD In THIS CITY.
Ripens to Perfection in the
Sacramento Valley.

Sacramento Valley.
The sixth annual Fruit-Growers' Con-
vention of the State of California met in
the Assembly Chamber of the State Capitol
yesterday at 10 A. NJ. Owing to the fact
that large number of delegates would ar
rive on the noon trains no business was
transacted, but recess taken until P. N.
At that hour the Convention was called
to order by Elwood Cooper, President of
the State Board of Horticulture.
Among those present the following were
noted members of the Horticultural Com
mission Elwood Cooper. President, Santa
Barbara; General NJ. G. Vallejo, Treasurer,
Sonoma; VIM. NJ. Williams, Fresno; Rev.
n. r. Peck, Placer; W. G. Klee, Inspector
Fruit Pests, and L. H. Webb, Secretary,
San Francisco; Solomon Runyon H. Ker-
cheval, VIM. Jagan, CORTLAND; J. A. Will
cox, A. Block, Santa Clara Jas. L. Shinn,
Niles; Hon. A. P. Hall, Pine; a. Mertez,
Roseyille; Milton Thomas, J. Chapman,
B. NJ. Lelong Los Angeles H Weinstock,
P E. Plat, Robert Williamson, J. Routier,
Matthew Cooke, Sacramento; f. H. Buck,
]. K. Buck, l.. w. Buck, Vacaville A 7.
Hatch, Suisun A. f. Abbott, Marysville;
W. H. Aiken, II. A. Fairbanks, San Fran
cisco; w. L. Meek, San Lorenzo A. K.
Wilton, San Jose; Tompkins, Alamo
da; = Thomas, Visalia; A. Wilcox, Santa
Clara = Gray, Chico
A. L. Perkins was elected as an assistant
to the Secretary of the Commission A. II.
Webb, P. w. Butler, of Placer, and I. A
Wilcox, of Santa Clara, were elected Vice
Presidents.
Messrs. Cooper, Steadler Hatch, Thomas
of Los Angeles and Thomas of Visalia
were elected as revisory committee on pro-
gramme.
The Chairman, by way of an opening
address, said:
This will be the sixth annual Convention of
Fruit-growers and the second held under the
auspices of the State Board of Horticulture.
We have met here to exchange views on the
subject of fruit-growing-to discuss every phase
of the subject that we may be better informed
and more united, that in the end our efforts will
be crowned with greater success.
The loss of time the waste of money and dis
couragementS that arise for want of knowledge,
in the growing of fruits, is probably greater
than in any other business; consequently the
greater importance that we inform ourselves.
We are not here, my fellow citizens, merely to
make display of our knowledge, or to place
ourselves in false position in trying to impress
upon our hearers selfdevotion or ripper expert
enee, but to give out the little we know in
frank and candid manner. Let US be governed
in our discussions with the greatest Gberality
towards each other, and give to every in
dividual the full measure of value as
estimated by the author in his or her expert
ment; let us put our minds in passive state so
as to receive more hight, that we can return to
our homes edited and thankful for this meet
ing.
/ shall not attarnnt IN ar,la roa ,,Dou fba srh
ject of fruit culture, for the reason that every
branch of the subject has been ably discussed,
with figures given TO prove the comparative
value with other productions. The special adj
vantages claimed for every part of the State
are fully presented. that it is left for me only
to refer you to those articles.
call your attention to the report of the State
Agricultural Society for 1885. First, the essay of
DR.. H. Latham. page ISL: the address of Senator
j. Filcher, page 1873. Following this at page 203
we have the fruit products of 1885 with general
outline of the whole business by Geo. w. Meade
& Co. For the prosperity of " Southern Caliior-
mia, the address OF Jos. D. Lynch, page 426. l
beg also to call your attention to the compila-
ton of Sergeant James A. Bsrwick in the same
report page 276. on the climatic effect of the
north wind.
1t is not my purpose in this place to criticise
any OF the statements made, but caution and
warn you all against the enemies of successful
fruit-growing. What we want is individual sue
cess, financially, in what we have already
planted, and every probability of success in
further planting, If we desire to enlarge our
orchards. In my present state of mind, could
not do better than read to you the most part of
my opening address at the Convention held in
Los Angeles one year ago. The subject presents
itself exactly as it did then. l therefore refer
you to that address.
We have made some progress during the year.
but it is not st all fattering. In the southern
counties where the greatest alarm exists as to
the ravages of the IceryG DHrchdsi, commonly
called the white scale, no certain method or
remedy has been adopted. 1t is still an expert
ment and an undetermined problem. AS TO the
black scale" on the olive, nothing certain
has been developed at a moderate cost
The "codlin moth" is extending its ravages
large apple-growers are more or less discour-
aged. New insects and blights have appeared,
climatic difficulties never before experienced
in southern counties have destroyed nearly all
the deciduous fruits. Olive orchards that
should have been full of fruit. have nothing
from the same cause. The English walnut to
very great extent bears very poor crops, with Sc
rious injury to the trees. The orange, lemon and
lime have done well.
The season opened early in November with
with copious rains, followed with warm and
pleasant weather, and like condition extend
ing to the spring, giving us an aggregate rain
fall of 2512 inches. All cultivators were jubi-
liant over the prospects, and yet it has proved
to be the only failure in Santa Barbara county
since | have been there-a period of sixteen
years.
The climatic conditions so unfavorable to the
fruit crops was the result of heavy rainfall of
two inches April 10th and 11th followed by a
cold north wind lasting four days without ceas-
ing. The ground being wet and cold, the flow
of sap was arrested.
The cold and severe wind robbed the small
twigS and branches of the sap contained in
them, so that they were shriyeled up, compare
lively speaking, dry and dead. In some vari-
cites of trees there was not vitality enough left
to repush the sap and produce natural growth |
Cherry trees in full bloom had the appearance
of being scorched with fire. English walnut
trees were long time in recovering. and in
many orchards the branches were killed back
from one to five and six feet. 1t is extremely
doubtful whether such trees can ever entirely |
recover. Nearly all varieties of peaches ex-
cepting few seedlings. failed Plums the
same apples, to a certain extent, a failure |
pears suffered less than most deciduous fruits |
The almond, being in full leaf and the fruit
formed, was not injured. The same was the
case with the carly apricot. Very late trees
were not injured, as the time for the sap to flow
had not arrived. The Eastern black walnut as
an example, never did better than this year.
English walnut orchards, where well protected
by high hills and forest trees, on well-drained
land, were but little injured.
The marketing of fruits was discussed at
greater length at our last Convention than any
other subject The Fruit Unions seemed to be
the panacea for disastrous results from low
prices but the expectations OF growers have not
been entirely realized. 1t is true good results
have been realized in southern counties from
the orange crop, but other causes have aided
lower freghts, a small crop, and heavy frosts in
the south Atlantic coast, destroying all the
wise counsel is needed: more united effort and
greater harmony is essential if we wish success.
The prices o5tainable for the nut crop have
been about one cent the pound higher than the
past two years, with very active market.
With reference to the experiments as men,
toned on page three of the report of last years
Convention, will state that spraying with ice
water was only waste of money. Spirits of
turpentine killed all the insects, took all the
leaves from the tree, but did no other apparent
injury. The kerosene oil wash was q success.
The State Board of Horticulture are now pre-
pairing the biennial report. II will contain all
the transactions of the Los Angeles Convention.
rs well as a full report of this, also the reports
of the inspectors We VIII have a large number
printed. that the frut-growers throughout the
State can have the benefit of the valuable in
formation contained in the same. We hope to
have them ready for distribution early in the
coming year.
The subjects for discussion or your consider
alton, our Board have arranged in printed
programme, as follows:
TUESDAY