16 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



In the first place it was found that to get up fifteen cars of green fruit, 

 aggregating one hundred and fifty tons, was a large undertaking and con- 

 sumed so much time in preparing, that some of the fruit would be in poor 

 order before the train was ready to depart; secondly, the trains did not 

 make as fast time as was expected — passenger trains requiring only four 

 and a half days from Sacramento to Chicago, while the special fruit trains, 

 being more cumbersome and heavy, consumed six days, greatly to the 

 injury of the fruit; thirdly, the railroad company found itself unable, by 

 reason of the great demand, to furnish the requisite number of suitable 

 cars, and were obliged to use many that were not properly ventilated, and 

 furnished with the proper gearing ; and fourthly, the trains being so large, 

 fifteen cars each, too much fruit was frequently placed on certain markets 

 at one time. 



These disadvantages were augmented by a sharp rivalry and competition 

 between the shippers and the Fruit Union, each striving for supremacy. 

 The result was disastrous to all and worked an injury to the entire fruit 

 industry. 



THE FUTURE PROSPECTS 



Are, we are pleased to say, brighter, and for these reasons: The railroad 

 company has agreed to give the same rate of freight ($300 per car) on 

 special fruit trains of ten cars, and promise if possible to make better time 

 than was made during the past season. 



Besides this, the shippers and growers seem determined to avoid if pos- 

 sible the unnecessary cutting of prices that prevailed last year. The 

 Union referred to above having changed its by-laws so as to cooperate with 

 the shippers, and it is thought that both can thus work in harmony, pre- 

 vent gluts in the eastern markets, and consequent slaughtering of prices to 

 the injury of all, thereby settling for ever the question of shipment of green 

 fruits East, to the end that fruit growing in California will be more profit- 

 able, and awaken a new era in the business of fruit raising, so that it will 

 in the near future be the leading agricultural industry of this State. 



METEOROLOGICAL STATISTICS. 



That portion of our report that is devoted to the compilation of statistics 

 upon the weather has assisted greatly in increasing the demand for the 

 reports issued by this society. A complete review of the rainfall and tem- 

 perature is published herein each year. The importance of having these 

 tables for reference, in comparing the weather statistics with former seasons, 

 is obvious. 



Many of the States in the Union have a State w r eather service, in con- 

 junction with the United States Signal Service, which is maintained at a 

 small outlay. The observations are taken at different points by respon- 

 sible parties, who take enough interest in natural science, meteorology, 

 climatology, etc., to attend to the taking them without cost. They are 

 furnished with franked envelopes by the Chief Signal Officer, so that about 

 the only cost necessary are the instruments and labor performed by the 

 central office, where weekly reports are tabulated and furnished the daily 

 press. 



These reports are issued in the form of bulletins, giving the weather 

 changes and other information of interest to the agriculturists of the State. 



Should this system be connected with the State Agricultural Society, 

 there could also be issued a weekly report of the crop outlook for each 

 vicinity at which the observation is taken. 



