78 



TWENTY-EIGHTH FRUIT-GROWERS' CONVENTION. 



Exchange would naturally be to continue a basis of equity to the 

 grower. The other parties to the agreement, if they secure and hold 

 for themselves the support of the growers and continue to pack their 

 fruit, must also insist that the basis be equitable to the producer. And 

 I am here prepared to say that I think that result was accomplished. 

 The California Fruit Agency is now, after thirty days' operation, hand- 

 ling perhaps a little more than 80 per cent of the shipments out of 

 California. We are not handling all, because it takes a little time to 

 accomplish these results- but day by day we are increasing the per- 

 centage, and I think that before the season has closed we shall have a 

 very large proportion of all the growers connected with this marketing 

 system. 



I think I have said about enough covering these main points. You 

 asked me to talk about marketing citrus fruits. I have sketched the 

 field; I have touched the high places, and I have told you of the final 

 effort now operating to make a marketing system for every grower of 

 citrus fruits. And I will say this further: that this system is at the 

 service of every citrus fruit-grower in California. We have agencies of 

 our own in every important city in the United States and Canada. 

 Scattered everywhere are our own agents introducing this fruit. We 

 believe that through this system we shall be able to get a larger demand; 

 that is, we shall introduce the fruit everywhere. Our agents will hunt 

 every possible corner of the United States and in foreign countries as ' 

 rapidty as it is necessary, to find people who will eat California oranges 

 and consume California lemons. I have no hesitancy in saying that 

 we shall be able, by reason of the volume of the business, at a moderate 

 expense, to introduce the fruit into wider consumption than it has ever 

 had before. And this is one of its primary purposes, because, with 

 the increasing product, the first year that we have a full crop in Cali- 

 fornia we shall exceed thirty thousand cars, beyond any question. 

 Florida is coming back to us pretty rapidly with an increase in her 

 product, and we are menaced more or less with the importations from 

 the islands on the south and a little from abroad; not very much from 

 the Mediterranean except as to lemons, and we would not have that if 

 we cured enough of our own. What we want is more lemons in Cali- 

 fornia, and not less. 



Now, I think I shall give you an opportunity, if you desire, to ask 

 me any questions in relation to marketing citrus fruits. I do not know 

 anything about marketing citrus fruits to-day except the effort of the 

 California Fruit Agency to market all the fruit for all the growers in 

 California. If there is any other method I do not know anything 

 about it. 



PRESIDENT COOPER. Any questions you wish to ask will now be 

 in order. 



