Though I strongly advocate one auction-room only in each city, this 

 does not necessarily mean one auctioneer only in one city. With a 

 Bureau of Information to regulate distribution and to prevent the 

 glutting of markets, there need be no limit to the number of receivers 

 or to the number of auctioneers in any one city. As a matter of con- 

 venience, it might be better if there was also but one auctioneer in each 

 city; but this is not imperative. 



Growers and shippers may consign their fruit to whomsoever they 

 please and employ as auctioneers whomsoever they please, but it must 

 be made imperative that all fruit and all buyers and all auctioneers in 

 any one city shall be brought under the same roof and at the same hour, 

 in order that the best results to the grower may be obtained. 



If there are two or more auctioneers in any one city they must 

 arrange for one auction-room to be used in common; and they must 

 arrange among themselves, either by a drawing of lots or by a system of 

 rotation, for the sale at the same hour of all fruits to be offered each 

 day. 



Believing, as I do, that as growers you keenly realize the fact that 

 successful marketing is the all-important question that now stares the 

 fruit industry in the face, and that unless you can bring about condi- 

 tions that will insure a fair price for your products, all things else that 

 may be discussed here for your welfare are of no avail. Believing this, 

 I feel assured that the suggestions outlined above as to how to remedy 

 certain existing evils may safely be submitted for discussion and for 

 your serious consideration. 



Marketing is the question of questions, and should therefore receive 

 your best and most thoughtful attention. If, after the fullest discussion, 

 the plan herein submitted should meet with your approval, I shall hold 

 myself in readiness to present a set of resolutions, prepared with a view 

 of putting the proposed plan into prompt action. 



CO-OPERATION IN THE MARKETING OF FRUITS. 



By Col. Philo Hersey, of Santa Clara County. 

 I. How fruit reaches the consumer. 



The producer after maturing his fruit, has been accustomed to cure 

 it, or sell to the purchasing drier. If he has cured his own product, in 

 most instances it is offered for sale in ungraded lots, with but little 

 knowledge of its value as compared with standards that are fixed by 

 the jobbing trade. It may be above or below these standards. This is 

 not his concern. His desire is to get as much and a little more than 

 his neighbor. His expectation has been, and now is, that some one of 

 necessity must come along and purchase his fruit, pay him cash, and 

 what becomes of it afterward or through what changes to meet the de- 

 mands of trade it may go he has little care. The commission house 

 representative, the broker, the dried fruit packer, the Eastern represen- 

 tative, each follows the other in a tour of solicitation, instruction, im- 

 portunity, and advice, as to what the market is, what is best to be done, 

 what the market price is, how cheap fruit is in Vacaville, Winters, Red 

 Bluff, Fresno, and Los Angeles, and in the course of time have estab- 



