PROCEEDINGS OF NINETEENTH FRUIT GROWERS' CONVENTION. 57 



it was not what the average should be from the present bearing trees. 

 The foreign crop is from 80,000,000 to 100,000,000 pounds short of 1894. 

 No exportations were expected or could be relied on. They had not 

 enough for home demand. We have been exporting from our own prod- 

 uct to England, Germany, Holland, and even to France. We have this 

 year the best crop in size and quality of fruit ever raised by us. It 

 gives universal satisfaction. We are delivering our prunes in New York 

 and all other American markets, freight paid, for less money than the 

 French ask and receive at home. Our crop is less than our annual con- 

 sumption, and, notwithstanding we are exporting, prices never ruled as 

 low as in 1895. What causes this? The answer must be: Bad manage- 

 ment or bad methods in selling. For this the producer is in part to 

 blame, and those whom he employs and supports in the transaction of 

 business are responsible for the remaining part. The grower trusts any- 

 body but himself, while the market manipulator or seller trusts nobody 

 and serves nobody but himself first, and secondly, if at all, his customer 

 a thousand miles or more away. The exceptions to this rule are so few 

 that. to mention them is a waste of effort. 



The Marketing is at Fault. — All circumstances and conditions of the 

 present season conspired to make it one of harvest and prosperity for 

 the prune-grower in a proper and legitimate way. He was entitled to 

 consideration for quality and quantity. But the opportunity has been 

 set aside by those sustained and trusted, unwittingly, by the grower in 

 selling his product. This assures us we have no favorable outlook from 

 our present methods of handling in the market, and we all feel they will 

 not generally be changed until we get down to where the wine men did 

 and the raisin men are, and remain there long enough to be converted. 

 I believe the outlook for our prunes is darker from the methods of hand- 

 ling or marketing than from any other source. Many a poor, struggling 

 mortal will go to the wall who may be both saint and hero, but he goes 

 all the same, and will then and there have time and tendency to discover 

 that by means of his hard work he undermined his own structure and 

 was the author of his own downfall. 



In conclusion, the outlook is, indeed, not bright, but it has remedies, 

 which to me are as follows: 



First — Cease planting for the next three years other than to keep 

 present orchards well preserved; 



Second — Exert every energy and use all obtainable knowledge in the 

 production of the best in quality and size and as to the best method of 

 curing; 



Third — Concentrate and control your product, and thereby protect 

 yourself and the buyer who, for four years past, has lost money through 

 having to compete with goods sent by the grower beyond his control, 

 and hawked about the market for a bid when the market was for the 

 time being supplied with all it required. 



The application of all these remedies would make the outlook bright ; 

 either of them would be helpful. But my belief rises to the force and 

 dignity of faith that neither one of them will become a general rule of 

 governing action. 



