CALIFORNIA AVOCADO ASSOCIATION 



55 



8th. To the retiring Secretary-Treasurer whose constancy and intelligent 

 devotion to duty prompts us to whole-heartedly exclaim: "Well done thou 

 good and faithful*' — Hardin! 



Thos. H. Shedden. 

 B. H. Sharpless. 



On rootion the meeting was adjourned. 



W. L. Hardin, Secretary. 

 PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS 



PRESIDENT WM. H. SALLMON, CHULA VISTA. CALIF. 



Ladies and Gentlemen: 



In opening this fifth annual meeting of the California Avocado- Association, 

 it is a satisfaction to be able to state that our affairs are in a sound condition and 

 we are on a firm foundation. We do not have to face the specter of a debt for 

 more than 100 new mem.bers have been added during the year, making a 

 gain of about $500 in our net resources and with all bills paid, we have in the bank 

 a comfortable balance of more than $1,500. The receipts for the year were 

 $1,725.78, and the disbursements, $961.16. It is well known to the leaders, 

 and should be known by all our members, that these results are chiefly due to 

 the untiring work of Dr. Hardin. In spite of health conditions which would 

 have caused many men to seek absolute rest, he has carried the burdens of the 

 combined office of Secretary and Treasurer with devotion and has exhibited quali- 

 ties of business efficiency which have been an inspiration to us all. He has pre- 

 pared the minutes of all meetings of directors and members, has carried on a 

 large correspondence, increasing in volume, has collected the material for the an- 

 nual report, has received and disbursed our funds, has supervised the printing 

 of 7,500 circulars and notices during the year, and 100,000 additional copies 

 of that neat sticker, "Eat Avocados," which was his own thought and design. 

 His duties have been so manifold and the welfare of our industry so consistently in 

 his heart, that he calls to mind the words of the great apostle, who after re- 

 counting his labors added, "Besides the things that I omit, things that come out 

 of course, there is that which presseth upon me daily, anxiety for all the churches." 

 We face with dismay the fact that Dr. Hardin feels obhged to retire from these 

 duties, but we hope to retain his wise counsel as a director, at least until his term 

 expires in 1922, and we hope that before that time he may again become a grower 

 of avocados and so realize in his own experience some of those fine ideals which 

 he uttered at our annual dinner in Pasadena a year ago. 



The directors entrusted with the affairs of this Association during the past 

 year were Chas. D. Adams, of Upland; T. U. Barber, of Puente; H. J. Webber, 

 of Berkeley, term expiring in 1920; J. M. Elliott, of Los Angeles; Lester Keller, 

 of Yorba Linda ; Wm. H. Sallmon, of Chula Vista, term expiring in 1 92 1 ; W. 

 L. Hardin and Mrs. J. T. Stewart, of Los Angeles; A. F. Yaggy, of Santa 

 Barbara, term expiring in 1922. The board has held six meetings and four 

 members have a clean record for attendance at all of them, two missed only 

 one meeting. The officers of the previous year were re-elected by unanimous 

 vote, and the president presented to the board a proposed program of activities, out- 

 lining some of the things to be aimed at in 1919-20, as follows: 



