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TWENTY-NINTH FRUIT-GROWERS' CONVENTION. 



DISCUSSION ON OVERPRODUCTION OF FRUIT PRODUCTS. 



MR. KEARNEY. Mr. Chairman, before the proceedings close, I 

 would like to say a few Avords with reference to some arguments that 

 have been made before this Convention concerning overproduction. I 

 wish to emphasize the impression which I have that our difficulties in 

 marketing our crops do not lie in reducing the quantity of our products, 

 but in studying the ways and means of distributing our products and 

 reaching the market properly. I think Mr. Barnhill in his paper has 

 helped us out a good deal by his suggestions and the information he has 

 given us concerning the way in which some goods, that were not of the 

 highest excellence, had been sold in large quantities. If you can take 

 a product which of itself does not command respect and esteem and 

 approval and by judicious advertising get the public to buy it freely 

 and in very large quantities, how much more successful should we hope 

 to be when we present a commodity which will benefit every buyer to 

 the greatest extent. Who will urge the proposition that the consump- 

 tion of fruit will injure any one? On the contrary, we have the sup- 

 port of the testimony of the entire medical profession and of all thinking 

 and observing people to the effect that the consumption of fruit is of 

 the greatest benefit. We in California are meat (beef) eaters far more 

 than we ought to be. We need education. It is in our power, as fruit- 

 growers, to educate ourselves and our neighbors, the whole community, 

 as to the benefits to be derived from consuming fruit. Mr. Barnhill has 

 pointed out one way, that is, by liberal advertising. It is a practical, 

 business way. It has been tested for many years by the most successful 

 merchants in the world. Any one who has ever traveled through 

 England has seen the walls in all directions plastered with advertise- 

 ments. We in America advertise largely, in every possible way. You 

 can think of many successful merchants who are doing it, and they 

 make fortunes for themselves by doing it. Isn't that a lesson to us? 

 We have products to sell. We want our business to prosper. Why 

 should we not follow in their footsteps? I had, as president of the 

 Raisin-Growers' Association, some years ago, a problem to solve in the 

 matter of disposing of a surplus of raisins. The preceding board of 

 directors had on hand 1,500 carloads of raisins after the close of the 

 season — the election of directors took place in April as you all know, 

 and our raisins have been a Christmas, New Year's, and Thanksgiving 

 product; we expect to sell most of our crop before Christmas, but in the 

 April following we had on hand unsold 1,500 carloads, out of about 

 3,400 carloads. The growers put in a new board of directors and 

 elected me on the board, and we had to face that problem. I said to the 

 packers: You are interested in seeding raisins. We will help you to 

 build up your seeding business if you will help us. We want you to 



