The San Francisco call., 1903-12-09
GROWERS NEED
COOPERATION
Condition of the Fruit In
dustry Is Discussed at Length
in, Convention at Fresno
IRRIGATION AND PROFIT
Many Delegates From All
Parts of the State of Cali
fornia Gather for the Session
Special Dispatch to The Call.

FRESNO, Dec. 8.-The twenty-ninth
Growers Association began a four
days session in this city this morning.
Delegates to the number of 200 are here
and many more are expected to arrive
late tonight and tomorrow morning.
Every section of the State from Shasta
County to San Diego is represented and
many of the most prominent men Of the
State are numbered among the visitors.
Horticultural Commissioner Ellwood
Cooper called the convention to order
at 10 o'clock and after the Rev. DR..
Boyd had pronounced the invocation
introduced Mayor L. o. Stephens Of
Fresno, who in a felicitous speech wei
coined the visiting delegates on behalf
of the community.
Organization of the convention was
then effected, Mr.. Cooper maintaining
his position as chairman and H. P.
Stabler, A. NJ. Drew ard w. r. McIn
tosh being elected vice presidents. John
Isaac, clerk Of the State Horticultural
Commission, was chosen secretary.
President Cooper then addressed the
meeting at some length on the topics
to come before the convention. He said
the convention was to discuss the sell
ing of fruits, methods Of transportation
and insect pests. He advocated Coop
GRAFTON among the growers as a means
Of obtaining better prices. He said that
the citrus fruit industry and the grow.
ing OF Wine grapes and prnnes are not
promising at present. Deciduous fruits
had paid well during the season just
past, but he believed that tree planting
should be discouraged.
Mr.. Cooper spoke of irrigation as a
matter Of extreme Importance to the
people o. California and in connection
with il mentioned the drainage expert
ments Oh alkali land being conducted at
present in Fresno County, saying that
fruit growers in every section Of the
State are watching the experiments
with interest.
Following the address of President
Cooper John Tuohy of Tulare read
long paper on THE Farmer as a Tax
payer" This paper was of absorbing
interest TO the growers and started II
spirited discussion. many suggestions
being made as to changing the tax sys-
TEN to relieve the farmers of part of
their burden.
The afternoon session opened with
tn appointing of standing committees
for the convention. The first paper was
by Edward Berwick of Pacific Grove on
What the Postoff1ce Might Do for the
Farmer" A paper on Transportation
by Russ z. Stephens of Sacramento
followed that of Mr.. Berwick and the
rest Of the afternoon session was spent
in discussing il. The attendance at the
afternoon session was good and much
interest w3s shown in the proceedings. /
Tonight there were two interesting
papers; one was by Lieutenant Gover-
neF Alden Anderson on Marketing
Fruits" Mr.. Anderson was not here in
perscn and his paper was read by the
president. The other was by NJ Theo
Kearney. ex-president of the California
Kaisin Growers Association, on Co
operation Mr.. Kearney has always
favored cooperative packing houses
and a central distributing agency fer
the handling of raisins, and his topic
to- night was Of peculiarly local inter
est and was freely discussed.
Governor Pardee arrived tonight and
viii sd6I ess the convention tomorrow |