19 1 4 



BETTER FRUIT 



Page IS 



C. E. Virden, (icncial Maiiat^er ol" llu' Califfunia Fruit Distributors of Saciauu'iilti 

 Which handled rifiht thi>usand cars of fruit in 1913 



California Fruit Distributors 



Mr. Charles E. Virden, before Fruit Growers' Convt-ntiou, Davis, California 



TWENTY years ago the State of Cali- 

 fornia sent out 1,293 cars of (lecidu- 

 ous fruit, consisting of Ui2 cars apri- 

 cots, 180 cars cherries, 1,010 , ,i:s 

 grapes, 1,289 cars peaches, -Itiu : 

 plums, 1,187 cars pears. Last .vlc 

 there were shipjjed from this state 

 13,313 cars of deciduous fruit, consist- 

 ing of 158 cars apricots, 231 cars cher- 

 ries, 6,3fi3 cars grapes, 2,359 cars 

 peaches, 1,706 cars plums, 2,496 cars 



pears. It is estimated that the total 

 movement out of the slate this year 

 will be even greater than in 1913. 



Twenty years ago the tonnage sent 

 out was dislribuled in less than 100 

 markets of the country and to a very 

 great extent tlie cars were distributed 

 on a consignment basis. I'lior lo 1902, 

 even with a comparatively small ton- 

 nage, the results obtaineil in llie ship- 

 ment of (Icciihidus fr-uit |)rov(Ml very 



unsatisfactory to the growers and they 

 realized but very little for their fruit, 

 and it was found necessary to form 

 some soi't of a distributing organiza- 

 tion, and in 1902 the California Fruit 

 Distributors was incorporated with the 

 sole object of acting as a central mar- 

 keting agency for the growers, packers 

 and shippers. The capital of the cor- 

 poration is nominal. No stock divi- 

 dends are paid or profds undertaken. 

 The organization maintains its general 

 headquarlers at Sacramento, and at this 

 time consists of twelve shipping com- 

 panies who operate in the slate. A 

 number of these companies are com- 

 posed solely of growers. The board of 

 directors consists of one member from 

 each comi)any and at this time eight of 

 the number are actively engaged in the 

 growing of fruit. The board of man- 

 agers, constisling of six members, are 

 selected by the board of directors. The 

 board of directors hold monthly meet- 

 ings. The board of managers meet 

 weekly during the operating season. 

 The business of the organization is in 

 the hands of a general manager, sub- 

 ject to the direction of the board of 

 managers and board of directors. Each 

 and every member of the board of 

 directors has an equal voice and an 

 equal vote, no matter what their ton- 

 nage may be. 



The operation of the California Fruit 

 Distributors is a direct benefit to the 

 grower and in no way is it a tax upon 

 the grow-er, as the revenue necessary to 

 maintain the organization is derived 

 from the shipper, who makes the 

 usual charge of seven per cent for the 

 handling of the grower's business, 

 which commission charge was not 

 changed with the advent of the organi- 

 zation, and out of this certain percent- 

 age the California Fruit Distributors 

 must be paid by the shipper. Such 

 shipper pays the organization only Ihe 

 actual cost of operation in propoition 

 to Ihe tonnage that the organization 

 handles for him. The organization has 

 been steadily engaged in creating f.o.b. 

 markets, and today the fruit of Cali- 

 fornia is shipped into approximately 

 250 markets of the country, and 

 this (lislril)uli(m is constantly being 

 widened. The organization maintains 

 selling agents in all of these markets, 

 maintains general traveling salesmen 

 who are assisting dealers to establish 

 and create a demand for Califor- 

 nia fTuit. 



Since 1902 much has been done by 

 this organization in bringing al)out 

 much better transportation and facili- 

 ties for Ihe handling of deciduous fresh 

 fruit shipments lo Ihe dislani markets. 

 We have succeeded in securing a moie 

 regular and dependable service. Prior 

 lo 1902 the service to Chicago was ap- 

 proximately ten to lifteen days. Today 

 we are securing regular service that 

 enables us to sell fruit in Ihe ("hicago 

 maikel on the morning of Ihe sevinlh 

 day. and in New York market on Ihe 

 leTilh day. We have beltei' icing facili- 

 ties. We have a heller tracing system, 

 so well ijcrfccted that we are in direct 

 touch with Ihe movemenl of each and 



