THIRTY-FOURTH FRUIT-GRO^TERS ^ COX\^NTION. 



11 



time I had written about the wonderful achievement of the Washington 

 navel at the New Orleans Exposition, and with some remorse told how 

 squarely Riverside had met the citrus world and conquered it with the 

 famous orange from Brazil. A few days after the publication of my 

 tribute in a Los Angeles paper, a letter was received from your best 

 known citizen commending my zeal, but disputing my facts. "Whj^, 

 it was not the Washington navel at all that took the great prize at New 

 Orleans, although it was exhibited under that name, ' ' so the letter ran. 

 ''AYhen the call for oranges to enter the competition came from our 

 committee the Washington navels were all gone and we sent over a lot 

 of Australian navels instead. ' ' The exposition committee had forgotten 

 to mention this fact, and the Riverside Washington navel has been 

 accredited with the victory until this day. Had I known this fact, my 

 respect for the fruit exhibitors of Riverside would have been greatly 

 enhanced. 



But these bits of historical sauce will not pass for the solid food 

 that ought to be set before this Convention. Before introducing the topic 

 to which most of this address will be devoted, a few words of apprecia- 

 tion may properly be spoken of this community. The State of Cali- 

 fornia owes more than compliments to the people of Riverside. The 

 fruit growers of Riverside are of the highest type of successful business 

 men, and no more expert or enterprising horticulturists than our hosts 

 are to be found in th^ world. So great has been the progress of this 

 people that nothing we could say in praise of them would add to their 

 fame as fruit growers. No matter how warmly we might commend the 

 achievements of this section, however, it Avould neither stimulate local 

 vanity nor eagender outside jealousy, for the concpiest of the desert here 

 has been that of the honest pioneer, and has been so helpful to other 

 portions of the State that there is no place for envy. The self- 

 complacency of Riverside twenty years ago was a challenge; now it is 

 understood, and it is a charm. It is not blandishment to tell her 

 people that they have earned such distinctive honors in horticulture, 

 and bear them with credit and profit to the State as well as tactfully 

 to their own distinction. 



But we can best show our appreciation here of what Riverside has 

 done for horticulture, by making this Convention of substantial value 

 to the industries so well represented on the programme of this meeting. 



To make the office of State Commissioner of Horticulture worthy of 

 support, it should be devoted more largely to the initiation and execu- 

 tion of policies that should command the attention and respect of the 

 State. It should reflect the best judgment of the fruit growers and 

 carry out their will wherever possible, and without injury to the 

 welfare of others, to unite, advance and protect the fruit interests for 

 the common good of California. Indeed, this office should forfeit the 

 confidence of the taxpayers should it be content with the performance 

 of mere routine duties or clerical work. Xo executiA^e office can fill its 

 measure of usefulness without understanding the needs and the aspira- 

 tions of its constituents, and I wish, during my incumbency, to recog- 

 nize this principle by taking the fruit growers of the State into full 

 partnership, both individually and in their conventional capacity. 

 To secure this cooperation, we must have more personal acquaintance- 

 ship and closer individual touch. Especially should our conventions 



