THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 195 



realize. II' it were possible to eliminate everything in the way of fruit 

 that was considered at the time as being what might be termed inferior 

 and only the perfect specimens of production, and the perfect product 

 of handling, packing, and marketing were left to remain, it is inevitable, 

 I believe, that the standard of quality and perfection in handling would 

 on the average deteriorate. There would be no opportunity for the 

 more able operator to secure an increased reward as the result of his 

 natural or developed ability, and it is my opinion that it is necessary, 

 as humanity is at present constituted, that the stimulus or spur of per- 

 sonal gain and benefit be present in order that we may do our best. If 

 these things are so, it follows that there is always going to be a consid- 

 erable proportion of prodnction in fruit lines, or any other, that is not 

 up to the mark and equal or superior to the established standards of 

 the time in quality or handling. If we have this product, either as 

 the result of the raw material itself or as the result of inefficiency in its 

 handling, what are we going to do with it? 



There is a greal deal of expression of desire cropping up of late which 

 indicates an intolerance on the part of the regulators and directors of 

 our fruit industry toward the fruit product of anyone which may not 

 be up to some individual idea or standard. We have, and very wisely, 

 our standardization laws, ordinances and requirements, but I disagree 

 fundamentally with the theory which is endeavoring to eliminate other- 

 wise valuable and consumable products which do not meet the require- 

 ments of standard as expressed by some individual or group of indi- 

 viduals, for the time being constituted as authorities or advisors. In 

 place of establishing a standard, which, in order that it be valuable at 

 all. must he a standard above the average, and then proceeding to elim- 

 inate of east aside the balance, the much more practical procedure, in 

 my judgment, would be the theory which prevails in some instances of 

 establishing a standard. which will give the producer of fruit coming 

 within the requirements of its limitations the public and advertised 

 advantage of his superior quality and at the same time allow the same 

 producer, or any other, having other product below that standard, the 

 opportunity of marketing it for what it is worth. 



The basic standard below which the food can not be considered and 

 must not be tolerated is that established by the Food and Drugs Act of 

 the United States government, which says: "'That for the purposes of 

 this act an article shall be deemed to be adulterated, * * * in the 

 case of food, * * if il consists in whole or in part of a filthy, 



decomposed, or putrid animal or vegetable substance. * * *" This 

 is the measure of what is and what is not fundamentally marketable. 

 The remedy for any fruit or fruit product which is not fit for human 

 consumption is action under the pure food laws of this nation and this 

 state (and the state law follows the national in this particular) under 

 this clause. 



Plainly such a standard is not the standard that should be aimed at 

 as one to advertise our fruit for the benefit of the individual producing 

 it or tlie community in which it is produced. We accordingly locally 

 adopt standards in the various lines, such as apples, grapes, oranges, etc., 

 aimed al encouraging and enforcing as far as possible an average 

 degree of excellence. So far. however, as the effort of the individual 

 is concerned in attaining an excellence of product, either in the article 



