THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW. 



57 



utterly unable lie is to exercise con- 

 trol in any of these lines. His pro- 

 ducts are unique in l)eing staple; tliey 

 are very necessities, and so tliey and 

 their producers should exercise a 

 leadinj; control. This srand consum- 

 mation is coming. We can all help to 

 hasten the glad day. 



In the very successful working of 

 the Southern California Fruit Ex- 

 change we see the very successful 

 forerunner. Half of our citrus groves 

 have already combined and done a 

 business of $30,000,000 in less than 

 nine years, and nine million in one 

 year, and yet have sustained almost 

 no loss, less than one-fortieth of one 

 percent. Even its enemies admit its 

 marvelous success, and that it lias 

 .served the citrus indvistry very great- 

 ly even if it has not been its salvation. 

 Our orange-growers Avere far from 

 markets, freights Avere exorbitantly 

 high, competition Avitli Sunny Italy 

 with short distance and cheap trans- 

 portation Avas terribly severe; except 

 from the Avise management of interest- 

 ed salesmen the Industry Avould have 

 been SAA'amped. On the shoulders of 

 the Exchange it has risen from the 

 . ashes of a red-ink decadence to per- 

 haps the most prosperous rural indus- 

 try of the country. There is no rea- 

 son Avhy apiculture and other branches 

 of farming may not reap similar bene- 

 fit. Of course, if they are less concen- 

 trated in locality, and liaA'e not so 

 intelligent a contingent, they must 

 wait longer for this good fruit. 



There are serious inherent obstacles 

 to rapid success in these directions. 

 Our farmers, including apiarists, are 

 isolated. They are generally unnc- 

 (juainted Avith the methods of trade in 

 these stirring times; they are suspi- 

 cious, and fear to trust others; they 

 often are very sIoaa* to give their pro- 

 ducts into the hands of others to 

 handle; in short, reluctant to do what 



the successful railroad and factory 

 must, and safely do in their opera- 

 tions. Our farmers must be educated 

 to see the necessity, safety and great 

 Avisdoin, of course. It Avill not be the 

 work of an hour. Such experience, 

 however, as that of Southern Cali- 

 fornia Fruit Exchange is a valuable 

 object lesson and a (juick teacher. 

 Are not our bee-keepers sutficiently 

 educated to organize in like Avay? And 

 thus become the second teacher in this 

 great school of advanced and improv- 

 ed methods of business. 



A second embarrassment comes 

 from the need of first-class manage- 

 ment. These combinations do a tre- 

 mendous business. This requires great 

 integrity, push, business sense, and 

 breadth of mind and judgment. Such 

 qualities are not lying around hunting 

 for employment, and must be patient- 

 ly sought for and generously recom- 

 pensed. Railroads appreciate this fact 

 and act accordingly. Farmers are not 

 likely, from their very life habits, to 

 appreciate such business character 

 rightly, are sIoav to acknoAvledge its 

 rarity, and are reluctant to recom- 

 pense it as do other lines of business. 

 This is certainly a grave obstacle but 

 must be pushed aside, with more time 

 and Avisdom. Our people must recog- 

 nize the value of business judgment, 

 and must be Avilling to pay for it. A 

 simple exercise of superior business in- 

 stinct may Avin or save many times a 

 high salary. Hoav short-sighted, then, 

 to refuse it Avhen largo interests are 

 iiiA'olved! 



A threatening companion of this 

 A\ise, competent manager is his cupid- 

 ity. He may so fully appreciate his 

 own value that he himself will put an 

 er,ormoits price upon his service. Cali- 

 fornia has already suffered in this 

 Avay. Mr. Kearney, of the Raisin 

 Combine, Avon a very large success the 

 first year of the organization. He was 



