TWENTY-EIGHTH FRUIT-GROWERS' CONVENTION. 



123 



very interesting fifty- word stories can be told in this way. They could 

 contain information about California in general, the locality in which 

 the fruit was grown, as well as the particular ranch. Historic points 

 should also be made use of, the idea being to make your printed matter 

 teem with interesting facts. The packing-house, the orchard, and last 

 and by no means least the fruit itself should come in for a good business- 

 bringing story. 



The trouble with the average fruitman is he thinks that the public 

 knows all about his product, when, as a matter of fact, the public is 

 grossly ignorant. Signs on the freight cars make good advertising. The 

 cars stand on the sidetracks where they can be seen by the inhabitants 

 of the towns, especially the smaller places. These signs can be greatly 

 improved; a few qualifying adjectives would enhance their value 

 immensely. 



You have gotten out some booklets; the one gotten out by the Cali- 

 fornia Fruit Exchange and circulated extensively throughout the East 

 was good, but do not stop with one. Millions of little inexpensive 

 leaflets and letter inclosures should be printed for mailing purposes, 

 and for distribution by the dealers. Some sort of an inexpensive sign 

 should be devised on the under side of box covers, so that when the 

 cover is removed it can be utilized as a clean, fresh sign that will serve 

 to attract buyers. Well-written, strongly-displayed advertisements 

 should be gotten up here in California, where men are familiar with the 

 merits of our fruit, and these advertisements should be furnished deal- 

 ers, free, throughout the country, for their use in local papers. You 

 have got to furnish the talking points of your fruit, you must put the 

 arguments into the mouths of all Eastern dealers. 



Get up an advertisement like this, for instance: 



FANCY ORANGES 



From the Famous Duarte District, in Southern California. 



NAVELS, MEDITERRANEAN SWEETS, ETC. 



Each one selected, wrapped with great care in paper, and perfectly packed in boxes, 



delivered at your door, all charges paid, for a box, containing one hundred and 



fifty or more oranges, according to size. 



These advertisements to be inserted in the daily papers by the local 

 dealers at the most opportune time. 



Oranges are regarded by many people as a luxury. Oranges are not 

 a luxury. They are an important article of food. If people of means 

 knew this they would use a dozen oranges where they now use one; and 

 people in .more moderate circumstances, if they realized that a little 

 money spent in oranges would prevent serious sickness, would feel justi- 

 fied in spending many times as much for oranges as they do now. The 

 trouble is they don't know. Why? The orange men have never told 

 them. 



