The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1910-03-25
NO VIM.

Important and extensive as is the
citrus fruit industry Of California, it
had for some years ceased to be really
profitable previous to the organization
of the Southern California Fruit. TX
change with headquarters at Los Ange-
les. This cooperative Exchange has
now been in operation about eighteen
years and has proved even more eff
fective and useful than it's organizers
anticipated. In the management of
the Exchange no one but citrus growers
has any influence or authority in its
policy, The regions. in which citrus
fruits are grown in California are
organized into local associations which
are grouped about. local Exchange
each association having as rule, one
representative IN the local Exchange.
Each local Exchange, in turn. selects
one representative for the central Ex-
| change. AT present there are fifteen
local exchanges and nearly seventy
associations, allGorganized comparatively
| and tfansacting their business with the
fruit ceasuming public through the
central Exchange in Los Angeles. This
system secdfes n perfect understand
ing of the demand for citrus fruits in
various parts of the country and of
lthe supply on hand in all of the differ
TENT eJiaafkets The quantities and
kinds of eltEhs fruits which are. needed
Flor variops cities and towns are known
| by TELEGRAPH at the central Exchange
and the distribution of all fruit is
made in accordance with this informa-
| ton. By this means it is easy to
avoid an overstocking OF shortage of
| the citrus fruit market in any given
town. The orders to supply the de-
mands for the, various markets are is
sued in such a way as to relieve most
effectively. the accumulation of fruit
which has taken place in any one as
ISOLATION. The fruit is thus marketed
with the least possible loss at the
| place of productions and distributed
in the most uniform manner which can
be devised. All-men concerned in the
| packing and distribution of the fruit
are growers or on the payroll of the
Exchange. Direct representatives of
| the citrus growers have been found to
be much more satisfactory in protect
| ing the interests of the industry than
| men who work on commission and who
have other interests. The local asso-
Citations are kept Informed as to the
losses which occur from improper
methods of packing, and any com
| plants which may be received at the
central Exchange regarding the quail
ity or packing of any crate of citrus
fruits can be at once referred to the
individual concerned. In this way
great improvement has been brought
about in the grading of citrus fruits
and in the care with which they have
been packed. The Southern California
Fruit Exchange has, therefore, found
it possible, by means of careful bust
ness methods and masterful control
of the situation, to snip citrus fruit
1000 miles across the continent and
market it successfully in competition
with the Florida growers, who are
much nearer the eastern markets.
Previous to the organization of this
| Exchange, the growers were entirely at
the mercy of transportation companies
and were often unable to secure rates
and ears for shipping their fruits so
that even a bare profit could be made.
Now the strength of the organization
has been made apparent, their business
methods are dignified and satisfactory
and their influence is such that their
requests are considered by all business
men with whom they have dealings.
The extent of the citrus industry in
California is, of course, an important
matter from a business standpoint. and
the influence even of certain individ-
uals was considerable in advance of any
cooperative organization. They found
themselves. however, unable to cope
with the difficulties of distribution and
marketing without an organization, and
these difficulties have been solved by
the cooperative arrangement. There is
obviously, a greater necessity of organ,
izing among the relatively uninfiuen
tial small producers in this Territory.