The Florida star. (Titusville, Fla.) 1880-1917, 1909-06-11
The Florida Citrus Exchange

Inc tlor1oa ClCruS Excnange
Four hundred or more orange
growers from various parts of the
state met in convention at Tampa
Tuesday, June LIST, for the purpose
of organization.
The gathering was the most bust
ness-like getting together of the or
ange growers ever held in Florida
and organization promises to effect a
most successful revolution in the
gathering, packing and marketing of
the citrus fruit crops of the state.
The morning session was devoted to
the reading of reports of several
committees appointed from the dele
cation of forty-six representative or
ange growers who recently visited
California to inspect that states sys-
tenn of handling its orange industry.
These reports embraced packing,
grading, transportation, picking,
machinery and appliances, packing
houses, selling and distribution, cul-
tivation, fertilization and irrigation
as found in California, and proved a
revelation to the assembled Florid-
ians.
Col. Thomas Palmer submitted a
most instructive report on the forma-
ton of the California fruit exchange,
describing the local association, SUBJ
exchanges and central exchange with
their wonderfully systematic work
ings and satisfactory results under
the California laws, provided for
them, and urged that an organization
copied after the California exchange
be formed in this state under SINH
lar law if obtainable at once or even
under the present laws of Florida,
pronouncing the California method
as near perfect as can be obtained.
The report stated that laws providing
for the exchange had been sent to
the Florida legislature but so far no
action had been taken on them.
On motion of Col. Palmer the Cal
ifornia plan was adopted unanimous
ly and a committee of thirty-three
representatives of the several orange
growing sections Of the state was ap-
pointed to draft the details of the or
ganization which is to be known as
the Florida Citrus Exchange. This
action brought the convention with
but little speech making to the most
important part of its work before it
had been in session two hours and a
recess was taken until 2 o'clock when
an equally business-like session COM
pleted its work by announcement of
the organization committee, and ad-
journment until next day, when the
convention finished up its work.
The great feature of the afternoon
session was the enthusiastic manner
in which those assembled met the re-
quest for funds to perfect the orga-
nization. 1t was suggested that
about $500 would be required to
perfect the work laid out and inside
of 80 minutes over $500 had been
raised in amounts of $3.50, 500, $50,
SIS and $40, contributed by firms and
individuals.
The men who made the investiga-
ton of CALIFORNIA; methods of grow
ing, shipping and marketing its or
ange crop are all agreed that the
growers of that state have a most
perfect system, which Florida should
adopt and it is the intention of the
delegation to the Golden State to
urge the organization of a Florida
Fruit Exchange, modelled after that
Of California, with such notifications
as the circumstances may suggest as
improvements on the California
method, though the generally ex-
pressed opinion is that the California
system is so nearly perfect as to war
rant its being closely followed in this
state. Col. Thomas Palmer, of Tam