The herald., 1894-10-18
ABOUT THE NEXT FRUIT CROP
Executive Board of the Fruit
Exchange in Session.
Shall the Fruit Auction at San Fran.
cisco Be Re- e-established2
Commission Mon Oppose II and Claim
That Growers Raceivs Little
Over Freight and 9th
or Charges.

A very important meeting and one
affecting the interests of every fruit
grower in the southern part of the state
was held yesterday by the executive
board of the Southern California fruit
exchanges.
Representatives from the following
local exchanges were present: Semi
Topic fruit exchange, Los Angeles;
Orange County fruit exchange, Orange !;
San Diego County fruit exchange. San
Diego; Riverside fruit exchange, River
side; San Antonio fruit exchange, Po-
mona; Duarte fruit exchange. Duarte (;
San Bernardino County fruit exchange,
Cotton.
The purpose OF the me citing wss
primarily to perfect plans for the most
profitable marketing of tn g coming eea-
sons crop, but incidentally several
matters OF great Importance came up
for discussion and settlement. The suc-
cess of ths fruit exchanges, now in their
second year OF trial. is fully recognized
and has surpassed the utmost expecta-
year three.ffthe of the crop was handled
through the medium of the exchanges,
and $l,500,000 worth of fruit WAS dis
posec OF tor the growera.
A question that is OF the utmost i'm
portance to the growers is it's proposition
to re-establish the fruit auction at San
Francisco. Considerable opposition to
the scheme has developed in the north
ern metropolis, and the advisability of
entering upon the undertaking was dis
cussed ct length. j. Wood, of the job~
bing firm of Wood, Gray & Co., aud L.
Scateus. OF SCatena & Co., both of San
Francisco, we're in attendance at the
meeting and gave their views upon the
matter. 1t would appear as il the dis
posal of the fruit crop at auction would
be most satisfactory to all concerned,
both growers and buyers. Certain OF
the commission houses object, however,
not, it seems, because either growers or
buyers are particularly injured, but be-
cause, as they allege, it demoralizes the
market. They contend that the grow
ere as well as the buyers were injured
last year by the auction sales. Good
fruit "a well as bad WAS slaug ghtered.
and nearly all OF it was sold at lower
prices than was asked on board the cars
| at the shipping points.
Whether theee allegations have any
substantial foundation in fact remains
to be aesn. The matter was debated
yesterday, but no final action will be
taken in the matter until today, when,
at the adjourned meeting, decision
will be arrived at one way or the other.
Last year system Of brands was de-
vised by which the irresponsible action
| of small and, indeed, some large growers,
was stopped. Fruit being graded by the
local exchange into either fancy"
;'choice" or seconds" at once stamped
that particular fruit with C. standard
value. An enlargement of this system
has been determined upon for this sea-
sons crop, when in addition to the
brand of grade brand OF locality will
be added. II by any chance, or with
deliberate intent, local exchange
should grade lot of fruit wrongfully,
then its standing in the various fruit
markets would be reduced by its own
imbeciity, to wit: No exchange would
thus iniure itself, and consequently
fruit may be purchased on the brands
alone, buyers having full assurance that
the contents will answer 80 the brand
quality.
Last year, it ia claimed, the fruit ex-
changes introduced into the southern
country at least three-gusrters of a
million OF dollars that otherwise would
not have been invested. The possibili-
ties OF the exchanges branching cut.
and enlarging their field OF work has
been realized, aud the executive board
has devised plan which will bring the
various exchanges into closer union and
result to the advantage of all. This
phase of work will be discussed today,
and the plan, in its entirety or in mod
ifisd form, adopted.
The various exchanges have now rep
resentatives in all the large centere
throughout the United States and Can
ada, and it is our own fault If they do
not keep posted on the market prices
and the various reports which must
necessarily guide their actions. The
plan OF cooperative action has been go
successful in the past that any device
that tends to enlarge the ecope of work
and OF profit is almost sure to receive
the sanction OF the growers who are
involved as members of the various
exchanges.