The record-union., 1896-06-13
FRUIT GROWERS IN COUNCIL.
Meeting Of the State Horticultural Society
Yesterday.
Orchardists Discuss Various Matters
Of Interest to Their
Calling.

The regular Sacramento meeting OF
the State Horticultural Society was nelo
In the Capitol building yesterday, with
Secretary B. M. Lelong in the chalr.
The attendance at the morning session
was not large, though NUMBER OF
representative fruit-growers were pres
ent. President Lelong announced the
first thing on the programme was max
ing exhibits at the State Fair.
For the past eight years, he said, the
majority of the money offered Tor pre-
miums on exhibits had been offered for
county and not individual exhibits. The
Directors of the State Agricultural AS
ISOLATION entertained ideas relative to
the abolition of that system, and offer
Ing all the money as premiums for IN
dividual exhibits. He introduced Ed
win F. Smith, Secretary Of the State
Board Of Agriculture, and invited him
to explain the reasons for the pro-
posed action.
MIR. Smith stated that the State Ag-
ricultural Society had been asked to
increase the premiums for county ex-
hibits, but that the idea was falling
into disfavor, the county exhibits be-
Ing practically the same year after
year. Many counties had been greatly
benefited by the notoriety and free ad-
vertisement gained from the system,
but the producers had derived really
nothing. This was very unsatisfactory
to growers, and provided the State
Horticultural Society would indorse the
proposed change, he felt assured that
such a change would be made. Pre-
miums for individual exhibits would be
an incentive toward securing better
and more satisfactory results for grow
erS.
Robert Williamson of Sacramento
agreed with Mr.. Smith that premiums
for county exhibits should be abolished.
Counties, as counties, could take very
little interest in the matter, as the pre-
miums offered would not warrant a fine
display. Even if the premiums now Of
fered for county exhibits be offered for
individual exhibits, the incentive for
fine displays would not be great as the
entire amount offered by the Agricult-
ural Association was only $40 for
aciduous and $3.50 for citrus fruit ex-
hibits. This was entirely inadequate,
and producers would be chary about
pense attending the making of exhib-
its, when the premiums, even If
awarded him, would not remunerate
him for the outlay occasioned.
The association should increase the
premium fund at leasv $1,000, and if
it could be raised to $4,000 it would be
all the better. No other industry in the
State needed more encouragement than
10 Of ay,
OF fact, the fruit exhibited at the State
Fair would sell for more than the pre-
miums now offered.
Ihe expense of making suitable ex-
h1blts is enormous, because, owing to
the lateness in the season (September),
many of the early varieties of fruit have
disappeared, and can only be placed on
exhibition by packing it in cold storage
for two or three months previous to the
holding of the fair.
A general talk followed in relation to
the buying of fruit for exhibit, and
though no action was taken it proved
the sense of the meeting that the idea
should be tabooed, and that the exhi-
itors furnish their own fruits.
Then. on motion of Mr.. Williamson
the following resolution was adopted:
Resolved, That ii is the sense of this
meeting that the premiums now offered
for county exhibits be discontinued and
the money be converted into fund for
individual premiums"
At II o'clock recess was taken until
100 p. m.
1t was found upon reassembling in the
afternoon that neither of the gentlemen
who were to have read papers were
present, upon which Mr.. Lelong called
for reports of the fruit crop prospects
from the several members of the society
present. While the reports were vary
ing, the interest seemed to center upon
curl-leaf among peaches, and varied
accounts were given and theories Of
fered for the effectual prevention oil
the same.
G. w. Hinkley, for the Winters Dis
trict, reported a short crop Of all varie-
ties of fruit, but good il quality. Ship
ments of early varieties were about
over for the season. Peaches promised
well, both as to quantity and quality.
Senator b. F. Langford, for the Lod
District said that aside from the grape
crop, which was injured by the frost
the prospect for fruic of all kinds wa:
better than ever before. Peaches and
almonds promised a large crop, ant