THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 73 



for the time being, fur which the growers are greatly indebted to the 

 Citrus Protective League and the California Fruit Growers' Ex- 

 change. This question has not yet been settled, but the Citrus Pro- 

 tective League expects to be aljle, through data it has gathered in 

 this and other countries at great expense and efifort, to convince con- 

 gress that the California citrus industries are entitled to an adequate 

 rate of duty. 



The California Fruit Growers' Exchange is purely a brokerage 

 business established for the sole benefit of the fruit growers. It is 

 conducted at actual cost of operation, and through which the grow- 

 ers themselves direct the distribution and sale of their fruits. Its 

 duties and efforts, therefore, lie not in actually shipping and selling 

 fruit, but in establishing and keeping at the highest grade of. effici- 

 ency possible all its departments and offices, so that the fruit grow- 

 ers may be sure of the best service obtainable. 



The first meeting of the fruit growers of Southern California 

 was held in Los Angeles on October 25, 1885. The industry at that 

 time was in a chaotic state and the delegates to the meeting by a 

 formal resolution recognized the fact that unless some united action 

 was taken to improve the methods used in marketing their fruit the 

 future of the industry w^ould be seriously jeopardized. 



Sessions were held forenoons, afternoons and nights for several 

 days, which resulted in the organization of the Orange Growers' 

 Protective Union. The results for the first year were very advan- 

 tageous, but after an existence of several years the union was lit- 

 erally hammered to pieces by commission men and buyers, who were 

 able to make larger profits by forcing the growlers to dispose of their 

 fruits singly. 



From the time the union dissolved until April, 1893, the growers 

 were practically portioned out among the private shipping firms, 

 none of whom would invade the other's territory. At this time, and 

 for one or two years previous, certain sections, or districts, had 

 formed associations in a small w^ay and w'ere marketing their fruit 

 through the officers of the association. As a rule they received much 

 better results than the individual shipper, which led them to believe 

 that their beginning, although small and weak, was along the right 

 line. This step marks the commencement of co-operative marketing 

 of citrus fruits in California. 



Then the California Fruit Growers' Exchange came into exist- 

 ence and has placed the citrus industry on its present high plane. 



The California Fruit Growlers' Exchange shortly after its organ- 

 ization and the adoption of its declaration of principles, recommended 

 the organization of associations and district exchanges. This w^as 

 practically aft'ected in all of the principal fruit growing sections, the 

 packing being done by the association at cost and the marketing 



