TWENTY-NINTH FRUIT-GROWERS' CONVENTION. 



117 



greatly, according to the soil, according to the vines, according to the 

 care, irrigation, and so forth, and a number of other things that go into 

 it. Now, for full-bearing vines, that is, the Muscat and Malaga grapes, 

 what would it be. Mr. Hutchinson? Probably you can help me there. 



MR. HUTCHIXSOX. Well, the average for the county would be 

 about one ton to the acre on all land where the vines are over three 

 years old. 



MR. McIXTOSH. One ton to the acre, and the average price, as we 

 have learned, is 4 cents per pound. 



PRESIDENT COOPER. Then we have the proposition that they 

 pay $100 an acre for the land, and by the time the vines begin to 

 produce, assuming a reasonable cost for planting and caring for those 

 vines, you have an outlay of $200 an acre. Mr. White stated that at 

 4 cents a pound the grower possibly had 2^ cents a pound profit, and 

 that, on two thousand pounds is $50 an acre. In twenty-five years you 

 have to dig up these vines and replant, or may be before then, even if the 

 mysterious vine disease doesn't take them, so that in twenty-five years 

 you have at least the cost of $400 an acre for that land. Therefore, the 

 profit of 2^ cents a pound is too little, and whenever you talk about 

 decreasing the value of raisins to such a point that a man can't live 

 he had better leave his place and quit. Two and a half cents a pound 

 is as little profit as ought to be expected by anybody who would buy 

 raisin land and plant raisin grapes. 



MR. F. W. CRAXDALL, or San Jos^. I move the adoption of the 



following resolution : 



Resolved, That the thanks of this Convention be tendered to Mr. C. A. Jenkins, Man- 

 ager of Fresno City Railroad, for the very pleasant ride over his lines, affording an 

 opportunity of seeing Fresno under most favorable conditions. 



Motion duly seconded and carried. 



PRESIDENT COOPER. I am very sorry to make a statement. I 

 received a telegram last night informing me of the death of my brother- 

 in-law, and the widow has telegraphed me to come home, so I will not 

 see you any more at this Convention. 



MR. STEPHEXS. I wish to move that the heartfelt sympathy of 

 the members of this Convention be extended to our beloved President 

 in this hour of bereavement, and also that the thanks of the members 

 of the Convention of Fruit-Growers of the State of California be tendered 

 to him for the very able and impartial manner in which he has pre- 

 sided over the deliberations of this Convention. 



VICE-PRESIDEXT McIXTOSH. Gentlemen of the Convention, you 

 have heard the motion of Mr. Stephens respecting our very worthy 

 President, to whom it is desired, in this motion, to extend, in this hour 

 of his bereavement, the condolence of the members of this Convention; 



