TWENTY-NINTH FRUIT-GROWERS' CONVENTION. 



7 



were active and there was no danger of neighbors competing with neigh- 

 bors and selling at rates ruinous to the growers. Co-operation will 

 prevent all such ruinous competition. It does not partake of the 

 nature of a trust, as each individual manages his own orchard, reaps 

 the benefit of his labor and expenditures, has a voice in what should 

 be fixed as a fair price for the quality of the fruit he has to dispose of, 

 and, at the same time, has the consciousness of dealing fairly with his 

 neighbor. This question was very ably discussed by A. H. Naftzger in 

 a paper read before the Twenty-fifth Fruit-Growers' Convention. (See 

 Seventh Biennial Report, page 127.) 



Fruit- Growing. — The season just closed has not been as disastrous as 

 that of 1902. The walnut-growers have received higher prices than 

 ever before, at least since any considerable quantity has been produced, 

 but there exist grave doubts as to the future of this industry. A fun- 

 goid disease, known as "walnut blight," has in some districts reduced 

 the crop one half. The spread of this malady is very much feared. 

 The Walnut-Growers' Association has offered a prize of $20,000 for a 

 feasible remedy. Spraying with the Bordeaux mixture has lessened 

 the loss in some orchards, but this remedy is impracticable on full- 

 grown trees. 



The citrus industry was never more depressed than during the past 

 year. Orange shipments were not successful; shipments of lemons were 

 worse. Some lemon-growers are intending to bud oranges on their 

 trees, others to root them out and plant something else. Notwithstand- 

 ing the future uncertainty, I have, in my travels, observed new plant- 

 ings in almost every locality adapted to citrus-growing. My fears were 

 fully expressed at the Twenty-eighth Fruit-Growers' Convention. (See 

 Report, pages 10 and 17.) 



Shipments of table grapes, of large and fine varieties, have given 

 excellent results. Wine grapes have not sold at prices that would pay 

 for their production. 



Olive-growing remains uncertain as to the future in oil-making, by 

 reason of substitutions and adulterations and the forcing of our oil on 

 the market at ruinous prices, in an effort to compete with all sorts of 

 abominations, the public not being educated as to the extent of the 

 frauds or the danger in consuming substitutes. The ripe-olive pickle, 

 however, is in great demand, and a large market offers to those who 

 will give to this branch of the business that care and attention which 

 are required to produce an article that is marketable. 



Shipments of deciduous fruits have given fairly good results for the 

 last crop. 



Almonds have been sold at higher prices than for many years past, 

 but, considering the sparse crops in some years, the danger of frost, and 

 the average result in a decade, further planting can not be encouraged. 



