450 THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



pounds per crate for table grapes, which has the effect of increasing 

 the cost of transportation about $29 per car to New York and common 

 points. 



The following figures show how rapidly the deciduous fruit shipments 

 to eastern markets are increasing: 



'o 



1903—24.000 minimum (about) 5.000 cars 1.0<:»0 grapes 



1904 — 24,000 miuimum (about) 5.626 cars 1.451 grapes 



1905 — 24,000 minimum (about) 8.071 cars 1.602 grapes 



1910—24.000 minimum (about) 11.936 cars 4.947 srapes 



1911—24,000 minimum (about) 13.683 cars 6.908 grapes 



1912—24,000 minimum (about) 14,451 cars 0,883 grapes 



As the minimum, from 1903 to 1910, was 24,000, and 26,000 in 1911 

 and 1912, it is necessary to reduce the 1911 and 1912 ears to a 24,000 

 minimum to make a correct comparison of the season's shipments, 

 which, when done, gives the above result, leaving off fractions. 



The year 1912 was an off season on grapes. In many localities grapes 

 set very light, and the damage done by frost and sunbui-n varied from 

 10 per cent to 75 per cent. 



Acreage in Table Grapes 



It is estimated that the acreage now planted to table grapes under 

 normal conditions will produce from 15,000 to 16,000 carloads per 

 annum in the near future, and it is self-evident that not more than one 

 third, or, at most, more than 40 per cent, can be marketed at a profit 

 to the growers as a whole, if existing methods under. which they have 

 been shipped are permitted to continue. 



26,000 Minimum 



The 26,000 carload minimum alone is sufficient in itself to bankrupt 

 a very large per cent of the growers if they persist in trying to main- 

 tain their present acreage, and I am not prepared to say that under 

 the most favorable conditions, it will be possible to place the industry 

 upon a paying basis as a whole. However, if it can be done, there are 

 but two ways in which to proceed to bring about such a result. 



The Only Way 



First — Through voluntary action on the part of all the forces that 

 possess the power to grant relief, of which the railroads are the most 

 potent, for the reason that their resources for so doing are greater than 

 all other combined. 



Second — By appealing to the State Railroad Commission to take your 

 contentions for relief to the Interstate Commerce Commission. 



After having exhausted all possible means to get relief through the 

 first we have invoked the power of the second. 



That the railroad commission has the power to do this for you there 

 is no question, for when the legislature of the State put upon its 

 statutes laws granting to the State Railroad Commission full and com- 

 plete power over matters and questions in which are involved the 

 reasonableness of freight charges and methods employed in the trans- 

 portation of interstate commerce, it had in contemplation the proba- 



