The record-union., 1894-02-02
OUR FRUIT IN EASTERN MARKETS.
A State Bureau of Information is
Suggested.
The Proposed Placer County Cooper
ative Company-Fruit Should be
Properly Distributed.

]. Parker Whitney of Rocklin, Placer
County, sends to the RECoRD-UNION the
following communication received from
II. Weinstock of Sacramento in response
to request for statement embodying
his remarks before the Placer County
horticultural Society on Saturday last:
SACRAMENTO, January 29th.
j. Parker Whitney, RockLin-DEAR
SIR: in response to your request that l
give brief outline of the remarks made
by me at the meeting of Placer County
fruit growers held in Newcastle on Satur-
day last, January 9th, / beg to say the
following:
1t is self-evident that if company can
be organized which shall be strong in
numbers, aud which shall represent
large proportion OF the shipments OF the
county, it can make itself ielt for good in
many ways, and prove of value to the
fruit interests of the county and the State.
Judging from the earnest spirit mani
tested by the large number OF intelligent
growers who were present at Saturdays
meeting, there should be no difficulty in
organizing a cooperative company Tor
the handling OF Placer County fruits
which shall be broader in its character
and fill wider sphere OF usefulness than
any at present in existence in your
county.
One of the chief difficulties in attaining
the highest possible success that our
green fruit industry Is at present labor
ing under during the shipping seasons is
the absence of reliable information Of the
true condition of the Eastern markets.
With dozen or more fruit associations
and shippers III the field, each operating
independently and each largely III the
dark as TO the movements OF the others,
our fruit in Eastern markets must con-
stantly be forced into competition with
itself at the expense of the grower.
There is a continual liability OF a fruit
feast in one Eastern city, and at the same
time of famine in another.
" hat is wanted in order TO prevent such
conditions, and in order that the most
favorable prices may be obtained by the
grower, is regulated distribution.
This can be secured only by united ac
ton; not on the part of the Placer County
fruit-growers alone. but on the part of all
growers and shippers Of green fruits
within the State.
Though the want of such united action
on the part OF growers and shippers has
been keenly felt, no decisive step to Sc
cure it has thus far been taken. 1t
would, therefore, seem to me that, aside
from pursuing the business and the OBJ
jects generally for which the proposed
new company is to be organized, it could
signally distinguish itself and prove of
great value to the fruit interests of the
State, by issuing a call, Immediately after
organization, for meeting of representa-
tives from all fruit associations and fruit
shipping firms, who would be invited to
assemble for the purpose Of establishing
q Estate Bureau of Information" This
Bureau of Information TO be located at
the most central shipping point and to be
under the charge of competent official
who shall daily be kept Informed over
the wires by all Eastern agents of the
condition of every fruit market in the
ing shipped and who, IN order that the
distribution Of fruit may be intelligently
regulated, shall wire or mail such intor-
nation to every fruit shipper and fruit
exchange within the general association.
He should also keep all interested par
ties apprised of the movements of fruit
in transit and the probable immediate de-
mand in the various markets. Thus,
while each association and each shipper
will retain all individuality, yet the in
formation furnished for their mutual
guidance and protection Will enable them
to avoid glutted markets and to seek
more favorable ones, so that in the end
the fruit may be distributed over the
country as you would distribute butter
over bread.
A step such as this must result in good
to all and in injury to none. l therefore
trust that your proposed ASSOCIATION VIII
see its way clear 10 be the pioneer In this
important movement. and that its efforts
in the direction of securing regulated
distribution" for green fruit shipments;
as we'll as its efforts in striving to advance
the science of harvesting and marketing
the fruit crop of Placer County may be
crowned with all the success that the in
telligent and earnest efforts OF yourself
and your co-workers so richly merit.
Sincerely yours, ii. W WEINSToCK.s