CALIFORNLi. AVOCADO ASSOCIATION 75 



by maturing sooner are gone before the winter has hardly begun, 

 and so are not exposed so much to the winds ; on the other hand, the 

 skins being thin, they roughen the more readily. It is obvious, 

 as I have often remarked, that with fruit at $5.00 or more per 

 dozen, one does not have to save very many to pay for the 

 protection. Once purchased, the material of which the screens 

 are composed will last for years, to be used repeatedly. Another 

 benefit to be derived from the use of screens is, that a tree so 

 protected can endure several degrees more frost unharmed. 



In the ahuacate we have a fruit which justifies more expense 

 in its cultivation than any other and the conclusion I have 

 arrived at is that nothing we raise in California is destined to 

 be the object of greater care and more intensive cultivation and 

 as a result a source of greater profits, and w^e will do this not 

 because it is essential in order to obtain fruit, we can get that 

 without trouble, but because it pays and pays well to raise 

 the best. 



MARKETING 



E. B. Rivers, of Rivers Bros. Co., Los Angeles, Wholesale Fruit 

 and Produce Dealers 



In a few words am going to tell you what I know al^out mar- 

 keting this delicious fruit. 



We have been in the fruit business in this city for the last 

 twenty years, and fi.rst handled the avocados sixteen years ago, 

 getting them from Honolulu, or Haiti, through San Francisco, and 

 at that time we never expected this fruit to be grown in Southern 

 California. Three or four dozen in those days would have over- 

 stocked this city; some of the exclusive clubs and cafes were about 

 the only ones that used them. 



About twelve years ago we used to receive them from porters 

 running on the dining cars out of Mexico, who used to buy them 

 from the natives there very cheap. These were sold by the natives 

 in baskets of different patterns, which were highly prized and much 

 sought after. 



This fruit at that time sold at from six to seven dollars a dozen. 

 The trade has steadily increased since then, and at no time have we 

 been overstocked on fancy fruit that was in good shipping condition. 



