The record-union., 1897-11-18
TRANSPORTATION AND MARKETING.

and Immediately took UP the question
Of distribution and transportation OF all
fruit products to all markets.
The President asked Mr.. Filcher in
relation to olives and olive oil at the
Hamburg exposition, and the latter said
that the prospects of doing much busl-
ness there in olive oil is very discour-
aging, as the people can get olive oil
much cheaper from the southern part
of Europe. Two large jobbers there
had ted him, however, that they
thought that on account of its purity,
that by some effort it could be intro
duced among the richer classes and the
nobility, who could afford and appre-
ciate n fine article. He had several gal
Ions of ripe olives, also, sent him from
Santa Clara, which excited considerable
curiosity, on account of their color.
Nine cut of ten who tested them, how
ever, diG not like them, and the other
one either thought they were fair or
liked them very much When he came
away he left what he had with some
jobbers and asked them to distribute
samples among such Of their customers
as would appreciate them.
The Committee on the Presidents ad-
dress reported, beSpeaking for the ad-
dress in general the hearty support of
the fruit growers Of the State. 1t re-
joiced in the prospects for the prose-
cutiOn of the beet sugar industry,
which viii be a valuable addition to
the farmers resources. Properly en-
couraged by wise cooperation of the
producers. the fruit and sugar indus
tries, it thought, would assist materi-
ally in bringing back financial conf
dence and a better state of affairs. 1t
thought that the adultera ton of food
and manufacture of spurious products,
which are ruinous and growing evils,
and the retailing of short weight pack
ages should receive the strongest con-
demnation at the hands of the conven-
tion.
Mr.. Johnston wished to call the at
tention of the convention to one point
in the report, and that was the sub
jeet of short weights, which, he
thought, was one of the curses of CAL
ifornia. It is a thing that permeates
the whole business OF the country. The
producer is compelled to give full
weight of their products, but when
those products are put into market they
are found to be short weight. He
have their legislators instructed to
work for a law compelling the weight
to be marked on all packages of goods,
and penalty for short weight. He
thought it would be for the interest
of the fruit growers.
E. F. Adams said that the Fruit
Growers Convention in Michigan pass
ed such a resolution and procured the
Of -I,&
should be placed on all packages. It
was found that some makers of fruit
baskets did not mark them With the
weights, and when brought into
court, the fact came out that they
could not sell their baskets so marked
to the fruit growers. II showed that
all farmers are not honest-in Michi-
gan.
TRANSFORMATION REPORT.
r. D. Stephens, for the Committee on
Transportation of Fruit Products to
Market, presented it's report
Your committee finds that the methods
that nave been employed for the last few
years IN transporting and marketing our
1fesn ana largely our cured fruit products
IN Eastern markets, have not resulted To
~ tiee +aa aaaVantage and satisfaction of many
or the growers of the State, as is evil
denced by the fact that the prices re-
eelNed Dy our growers for their products
IN the Eastern markets have fallen so low
as to not only not permit of any return fol
the capital and labor invested, but also
not Sufnclent to pay current expenses. This
result explains why orchard property has
SO greatly deprecated in value. Property
that few years ago could not have been
bought for less than $500 to 800 per acre.
would not now bring over $50 to SIS per
acre, and 1t is extremely doubtful if many
who have the means would be willing to
invest their money in orchard property
While the distribution and marketing Of
the less perishable products of our orch
ards, notably our cured and citrus fruits
have been greatly improved by our efforts
in the past, and while local organizations
have done so much to reform many of the
more reckless and extravagant methods
so destructive TO profitable fruit-growing
so far but little headway has been made in
improving the method of distributing ano
marketing our fresh deciduous fruits
Consignment through commission ship.
pers-the hane of the fruit-grower-Seem
10 be fastened upon the industry, to the de-
struction OF all profit, unless the fruit
growers themselves take charge Of theil
own affairs.
The causes that have contributed most
which we find the fruit interest of the
State involved, are shipping and consign-
ing through commission firms whose ain
and object is to make all they can, re-
gardless Of results to the growers
Through consigning comes the exorbitant
refrigerator charges and the syndicate or
ganized in the East to handle and distri-
butte California fruit.
We recommend that the fruit-growers
act together in a common cause for theii
common good. They should organize in
all localities. where there is enough fruit
day, for the purpose Of managing theil
own business. They should ship and mar
ket their own fruit through their owr
agents They should select and send rep.
reSentatives from their organization fol
the purpose of perfecting a State associa.
tion through which information could be
Ia
lished
The foregoing refers more particularly
70 green fruit Regarding cured fruit
we will recommend that, If you will con.
sign. select commercial brokers in large
distributing centers who neither buy nol
sell on their own account. They should bs
men of unquestionable character. Shin Il
your own order Prepay the freight; owr
your own goods when they reach the mar
1et; sell to net T. O p, California prices
If your broker cannot sell at these prices
YOU have made a mistake by not selling or
this coast and hence are paving youl
broker who is worse than useless TO you.
1T is not the part of wisdom 10 put thf
making Of the price Of Your product II
the hands Of those who consider their in.
ferestS are best subserved by producinf
and maintaining a falling market
If il be true. as claimed. that those wh(
have had almost absolute control Ia ship
ping and marketing the fruit products oi
the State during the last 1--WE years. have
honestly and earnestly la0ored In the in
fcresf OF the growers. with the result OBJ
tanned IS not this fact sufficient in itself 4
recommend q change IN ne WAYS a06
methods that have been employed by then
fD marketing cur orchard oroductsE \
change can certainly do no harm, ane
much good might come from Il.
Mr.. Fighter Of the committee present
ed a supplemental report advocatins
sF0EFgEsn "For fifteen year:
sEE.EEMs my daughter sui
kIklRhklkkE fered terribly witt