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have done well. So far reports are encouraging, and at the opening of 

 the season the outlook was good. There was a heavy shortage in nearly 

 all lines in the East, and we were preparing to take advantage of the 

 market offered us when the great strike was inaugurated, and we found 

 ourselves with heavy crops of fine fruit on hand without means of 

 transportation. As a result losses were very heavy, and while it is not 

 possible to obtain exact figures, I believe that a million dollars would 

 not make good our loss from this one cause. Much of our early fruit 

 that should have been marketed fresh was dried, and much more was a 

 total loss. Following this was the severe business depression that 

 spread over the entire Union, and instead of getting the good prices 

 that the commencement of the season promised, we did well to come 

 out even, and many growers report heavy losses on their crops. In 

 spite of these drawbacks, however, our shipments, as I before said, have 

 been heavier this season than usual. 



The dullness of the Eastern market led to the repetition of the experi- 

 ment made some two years previously, of shipping fresh fruit to Eng- 

 land. We profited somewhat by the mistakes of the first experiment, 

 but until we can develop a better and cheaper system of transportation 

 than we now have, one that will do away with the bulky refrigerator 

 car and their additional cost for iceing and carriage, we can look upon 

 the English market only as a last resort, in which we can dispose of our 

 surplus fruits at a price that is better than nothing. When, however, 

 we can deliver our fruit in less time, in better shape, and at lower cost 

 than we now can, we may hope for a profitable market in England. 



The past season has witnessed an important stride in the line of 

 cooperation, which will eventually prove of great value to the growers, 

 of which we are to hear during our present convention. Over the entire 

 State fruit growers, packers, and shippers are now organized for mutual 

 help; the citrus fruit growers have their organization, the walnut 

 growers theirs, the raisin men theirs, the fruit driers and the fresh fruit 

 shippers have their societies looking to the control of their own products 

 and the finding of the best markets. I need not dw T ell upon the advan- 

 tages of these organizations, as they are well known to all of us and 

 will be further discussed during the course of the present convention. 

 Suffice it, that the tendency is more and more toward cooperative action, 

 and it can result only in good to both the producer and the consumer, 

 for it insures to the latter abundance for his demands and to the former 

 a sure market for his output. 



There is yet another matter which unity of action can accomplish, and 

 that is the securing of fair rates of freight and proper service from the 

 railroads. A syndicate controlling the greater part of the fruit crop of * 

 the State is in a position to secure better terms from the railroads and 

 to see that their agreements are carried out, while the individual grower 

 or the small association is wholly at the mercy of the transportation 

 companies. The small grower must pay such charges as are demanded 

 from him. His fruit may be side-tracked and ruined in transit, and if 

 he gets any redress it is after much time and at such cost that the first 

 loss is preferable. This cannot happen where we are working together 

 for our rights, and an industry that employs the services of nearly 30,000 

 cars annually can make itself respected if it is united. 



During the year two processes for keeping fresh fruit in transit have 

 been tried. They are very promising, and will no doubt aid us in ship- 



