16 



TWENTY-EIGHTH FRUIT-GROWERS' CONVENTION. 



will not be my purpose to discuss the marketing of the citrus product, 

 but rather to wait and see the result of this experiment. 



In the examination before the Interstate Commerce Commission, in 

 this City of Los Angeles, in the early part of last month, terminating 

 on the 11th, there is much furnished the orange and lemon growers for 

 reflection. The testimony adduced as to the condition of this industry 

 and the statements made by railroad officials should be carefully com- 

 piled and printed in pamphlet form for distribution among the growers 

 of these fruits and the prospective planters of new orchards. As a 

 result of this examination — to sum up briefly — the losses occur from 

 the following causes: Delayed service by fault of transportation; the 

 shipment of unsound and bad fruit; too great a quantity at times to 

 one market; and extraordinary expenses in fighting insect pests. 



We pay to transportation companies for fruits and vegetables about 

 $18,000,000 annually. One would suppose that this traffic was of suffi- 

 cient importance to warrant every facility that would insure our 

 prosperity. On the other hand, if we do not so act in our business 

 affairs as to protect ourselves, we can not expect transportation com- 

 panies to keep up or look after our end of the business. 



We should exhaust our every effort in performing our part, then we 

 will be in a position to command transportation companies to do their 

 part. The fact is, the most sensible view would be that the interests 

 are mutual and that we should work in harmony for the advantage of 

 both parties. The sooner we realize that it is a cold business proposition 

 the better. There is no longer any sentiment or denunciation necessary 

 to be made in the controversy. 



The Shipment of Unsound and Bad Fruits. — I have been urging, for 

 many years, the necessity for an inspection law that would prevent this. 

 Nothing has been done. 



Flooding Eastern Markets. — This has been discussed time and again, 

 but has not decreased the terrible sacrifice and losses to the growers, 

 and can only be remedied by our selling our own fruits through a central 

 organization which can control shipments to every Eastern market. 



Fighting insect pests should be eliminated by securing the natural 

 enemies to do the fighting. 



With the foregoing I will close my remarks. I recommend that a 

 committee be appointed to draft resolutions to express our appreciation 

 of the consistent and persistent efforts of our Hon. Senator T. R. Bard in 

 opposing the reciprocity treaty with Cuba. 



MR. DORE. I move that the Vice-President appoint a committee 

 of three, to consist of Southern California fruit-growers, to whom shall 

 be referred the President's address. I make the motion for Southern 



