264 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



combinations of the packers, who have 

 not been bashful in making their demands, 

 the fruit growers have been producing 

 the fruit just for the fun of the thing, as 

 it were. But the natural law of self- 

 preservation is asserting itself, and by 

 fruit exchanges and other organizations 

 the growers are getting together and are 

 taking the reins in their own hands. 

 They are packing their own fruits and 

 shipping it to their own agencies in the 

 principal cities, and are establishing a 

 market for their well -protected brands. 

 Recently there has been a movement to 

 hold auction sales in three separate rooms 

 at the same time in the Chicago market, 

 thereby dividing the buyers into small 

 groups, restricting competition and hold- 

 ing prices down in the interest of the 

 local purchasers. The Sacramento Fruit 

 Grower's convention appointed a commit- 

 tee of the leading growers to consider the 

 matter H. Weinstock, of Sacramento ; 

 Joseph Martin, H. A. Fairbanks and Wm. 

 Johnston, of Courtland; A. T. Hatch, of 

 Suisun; R. D. Stevens, of Sacramento; 

 and Frank H. Buck of Vacaville. They 

 decided unauimously that consolidated 

 auction salesrooms should be established 

 at all the eastern markets, to bring 

 buyers under one roof and stimulate 

 competition. 



Security The Senate committee on 

 Authorized. lauds reported an 



amendment to the sundry civil bill by 

 which a basis of security is established, 

 through the state governments, for money 

 expended in reclaiming lands under the 

 Carey law, by issuing patents and 

 authorizing liens upon the land. It may 

 be said here that there seems to be a 

 willingness on the part of congress to 

 adopt any reasonable measure which will 

 assist the reclamation of the lands for 

 which that law was intended, and it is 

 being amended so as to make its execution 

 less difficult. 



The Country Senator Cannon, of Utah, 



in has introduced a resolu- 



Miniature tion in the senate provid- 



ing for the creation at the national 



capital of a physical map, which will be 



two-thirds of a mile long and of a width 



in due proportion. It is to be laid out on 



the ground, reproducing every physical 



feature of the country, including every 



lake, river, hamlet, city, railroad and 

 canal, mountain and plain, in miniature, 

 on a scale of a foot square to the square 

 mile. If it can be carried out our 

 national legislators can get a better appre- 

 ciation of the relative size and importance 

 of the states than most of them possess. 

 It is doubtful, however, whether the 

 eastern people will be willing to make the 

 contrasts so conspicuous. 



Planting The State of Michigan has 

 Trees. furnished a large share of the 

 lumber used in the construction of farm 

 buildings and fences in the prairie states 

 east of the Mississippi, and is just now 

 beginning to realize that there ought to 

 have been more trees planted as the 

 grown forests have been cut away. Gov- 

 ernor Rich issued a proclamation urging 

 that every person in the state should plant 

 at least one tree on May 1st, if it was at 

 all practicable, and that the public schools 

 make observance of "arbor day." He 

 also pointed out the desirability of pre- 

 serving shade trees along the public roads. 

 It is better the harm be remedied by 

 action .in the future than not at all, but 

 foresight which would have prompted it 

 many years ago would have been most 

 commendable. 



Object If every fruit grower who de- 

 Lessons. p euc j 8 on shipments of his 

 products to the great city markets could 

 follow his consignment and note the 

 treatment it gets from the transportation 

 companies, or their employees, it would 

 impress upon his mind the necessity for 

 careful packing to prevent injury by 

 rough handling and neglect at transfer 

 points. If then he would go into the 

 market houses the commission houses 

 and see the pressure under which sales 

 must be made and the stuff handled, and 

 how large a proportion of that which 

 reaches the market is in a damaged, and 

 sometimes in really unsalable condition, 

 it would probably be the best investment 

 he could make in connection with his 

 business, both of time and money. There 

 is always demand for good fruit in good 

 condition, but if it is of inferior quality 

 and is badly packed, and consequently 

 in bad condition when it arrives, it is far 

 better to keep it at home and feed it to 

 the pigs. 



