PROCEEDINGS OF NINETEENTH FRUIT GROWERS' CONVENTION. 55 



Mr. Adams: I do not intend to engage in any discussion now. I have 

 observed during the past year a fact which, perhaps, may be useful now: 

 that it has been a matter of question, not only to business men generally, 

 but also to those actively engaged in cooperative work, whether or not 

 actual cooperation would succeed. It helps us once in awhile. If it 

 succeeds at all, it must be because it is the easiest way of doing business. 

 If it succeeds, it must be as the result of individual effort. It is the 

 same law running all through nature. If cooperative effort is by 

 experience found to be the best way, it can be adopted. If by experi- 

 ence it is not found to be the best way, it can be dropped. The effort to 

 financially survive has been gradually bringing together business men 

 and capitalists throughout the world within the last quarter of a century. 

 All combinations of capitalists and business men have been simply the 

 effort to survive financially. Now, the fact of the idea is simply this: 

 The same law applies to farmers that applies to merchants. It neces- 

 sarily operates the same on both. 



It is my judgment that we should learn to cooperate in an effective, 

 businesslike manner. How much of this generation will do it, I don't 

 know, but unless I am entirely mistaken, that is the way we are going 

 to do it. There are here quite a goodly number of the directors of the 

 California Fruit Exchange, which was organized to represent the fruit- 

 growers of California in the way that was found to be the most econom- 

 ical. There are quite a number of the directors here, as I said, and I 

 would like to hear from them. In the making up of the programme, I 

 notice that there has been no subjects set for these gentlemen to make a 

 report. 



In these deliberations, it seems to me that it is not wise for each con- 

 vention to endeavor to originate new methods; better try to improve 

 present ones. As already stated, I think it is the proper time for the 

 President and some of the Directors of the California Fruit Exchange to 

 make some report of what they have done. 



Mr. Walton: That report will be forthcoming here to-morrow 

 morning. 



OUTLOOK FOR PRUNES. 



By Col. Philo Hersey, of San Jos6. 



The extent and productiveness of our soil, the adaptability of our 

 climate for raising and curing prunes, the surplus money in some hands 

 seeking investment, the ease with which debts are contracted, the general 

 tendency to speculation, and the iron grasp and pure self in business 

 methods, inevitably lead to the question, "What is the outlook for 

 prunes? " 



One of to-day's conditions is a planted acreage capable of producing 

 nearly three times the present consumption in the United States. If, 

 by fortune of circumstances, universally good crops on the Pacific Coast 

 and enough for home consumption by foreign countries should be pro- 

 duced for three successive years next following, the equivalent of one crop 

 at least would go to waste, and the average price of the remainder be 

 reduced 33| per cent below the average of any former year. In saying 

 the equivalent of one crop at least would go to waste, it is not meant 



