The morning call., 1891-08-12
BOARD OF TRADE.
Three Very Important Subjects
Discussed.
& Report on Irrigation Demanded-cos. and
Productiveress Of Landslide of
Dried Fruit Abroad.

at Yesterdays meeting of the State Boar d
of Trade, held in the rooms of the Horticul-
tural Bureau on Suffer- street, three very
important questions were considered in a
manner which demonstrates that this organ
ization is fully and fearlessly alive to the
best interests OF California. The irrigation
problem, which has been SO widely dis
cussed in this State, but which has come
prominently before the agricultural ele-
ment during the past twelve months, was
the first subject taken up, after the minutes
had been disposed Of.
In reply TO a communication addressed to
the Department of Agriculture at Washing
ton some months since by the Board of
Trade, asking for report on this subject,
Secretary Masln read the following from
Acting Secretary Willets:
IRRIGATION APPROPRIATION.
Your letter of the 18th inst. addressed to the
Secretary has been duly received. | rerly
thereto l am compelled TO state that the annual
appropriation for the irrigation inquiry author
iZed by Congress Is so small-S1 g, 600 only-as
10 preclude the possibility OF now conducting
any such special investigation as the resolution
OF your body suggests. However Interesting,
valuable and Important such an inquiry may
prove TO be, OF its value ana Importance TO Cali
fornia there can be no doubt
There Is, moreover, one portion of the resolu-
tion which would seem 10 be In any event out
side OF the legitimate duties OF the department.
/ refer To the last clause. which asks Judgment
upon the liability OF the districts Qrrigaion) TO
guarantee the sovency Of their bonds issued or
TO be issued in pursuance OF law"
Unless specially authorized by law or by reso-
tuition OF Congress, the department could not I'M
dertake, however equipped with means, such Il
task as that Indicated in the words 1 have
quoted. Under such authority. il obtained, all
proper questions can be legitimaieIy mel and
considered. Your pamphlets were duly received.
The department Will be pleased 10 be In regular
communication On all irrigation and agricultural
questions with your important body.
john p. Irish did not relish the tone to
this letter at all. ''We ask no subsidy or
bounty" said he" but simply that the de-
partment institute an inquiry and report
upon the result of its Investigation"
w. ii. Mills followed in the same tone.
lie thought that this business could properly
come under the Department of Agriculture,
and he saw no coed reason why the investi-
CATION could not be made as requested.
After a long discussion Mr.. Irish offered
the following, which was adopted
Resolred, That the Irrigation Bureau of the
Department OF Agriculture be requested, through
the Secretary of Agriculture, 10 report upon lie
relation OF climate 10 The profits of agriculture
and horticulture by trTigatlou with special refer
ence TO the results OF irrigation in winterless
gloDs like California and others where low tenn
peiature during several months Suspeuds all
operations upon the soil, WI h a view to aScer-
tanning and comparing the ability of the soil in
such contrasted conditions 10 bear the cost of
irrigation.
CALIFORNIA; LANDS.
The subject of land for agricultural and
horticultural purposes was then brought up
and discussed at length. The Secretary
read letters from eight counties in the
State giving information as to price, pro-
duction. etc, and in sOme of the letters re-
ferred to statements were made that lands
could be had for $50 per acre and were
cheap at that figure.
Mr. Mills suggested that a great mistake
is being made by the way in which this sort
OF information is going out to the world.
He thought that the particular point which
should be made is, what is such land capa-
bic OF becoming? The farmer in Iowa, In-
diana, Ohio and Illinois is accustomed to
look upon highly developed farm rs worth
500 an acre. When you tell him that I'M
cultivated land III California under ditch
IS chtap at 500 an acre be does not clearly
understand you. You must tell him what
the land can be made to yield. When it is
stated that excellent orange land in South
ern California can be purchased for $40 an
acre, Its cheapness is understood. because
the world has been educated to know that
an orange orchard is worth $1,000 an acre.
The members of the board followed in
about the same strain, their remarks all
tending TO show that the popular impression
OF exorbitant prices in California is a wrong
one and should be corrected by judicious
advertising.
MARKET SEEKING FUND.
The third and last important question of
the session was how to introduce dried fruit
in foreign markets, where this class of
products IS comparatively unknown accord
ing to well Informed members of the board.
Mir. Mills thought good method of ad-
yertising wonld be to send large shipment
of fruit 20 one of General Booths agents in
London for distribution among the eating
stations of the Salvation Army, which me
called one of the greatest charitable organ
iZations on the face of the earth.
MpsSrs. Irish GrepnrV ROpus No
Donald also spoke on the subject, suggest
ing means OF giving the English people es-
pecially taste of California dried fruit
The discussion resulted in a motion to ap-
point committee for the purpose of found
ing what will be known as Market Seek
ing Fund"