40 PROCEEDINGS OF THIRTY-SIXTH FRUIT-GROWERS ' CONVENTION. 



PRESIDENT JEFFREY. What if Ave could estimate in dollars 

 and cents the millions that have been lost in California by planting 

 poorly pedigreed stock! You would find that the amount of money 

 made altogether in fruit growing has not been nearly as much as the 

 loss in planting in this manner. About 110 years ago a remarkable 

 horse came into Vermont, afterward known as Justin Morgan. For 

 years and years the strain was kept pure, and then it was neglected for 

 fifty or seventy-five years. Now both the United States Government 

 and the State of New York are spending thousands of dollars to restore 

 the purity of the Morgan blood. That ought to be done with horticul- 

 tural products. If we have a Spitzenburg, let us keep it pure. If we 

 have a bellflower, let us keep it from turning into a grindstone ; let us 

 keep it elongated. It ought to be one of the duties of this convention, 

 and every other fruit-growers' convention, to encourage a few nursery- 

 men who are willing to put their capital into this business to raise trees, 

 and instead of paying 15 to 20 cents for a deciduous tree, pays 35 cents 

 for it. and it will be like getting money from home when the orchards 

 come to bear. 



MR. BERWICK. Regarding that first paper, you were this morning 

 deploring the misleading statements that go out from California regard- 

 ing our orchards and vineyards. If I remember rightly, that paper 

 speaks of a very encouraging price of three dollars per box. f. o. b. I 

 don't know if any Watsonville grower expects or gets three dollars a 

 box, f. o. b., or if there be an Oregon grower here who gets, on an 

 average, one season with another, three dollars a box. f. o. b. I think 

 we would like to hear from him. I would like to ask Mr. Rodgers or 

 Mr. Judd what is the average f. o. b. price in Watsonville ? Does it 

 approach anything near three dollars a box ? 



MR. RODGERS. An average would be 90 cents to one dollar a box. 



MR. BERWICK. Every season ? 



MR. RODGERS. Yes. sir. Sometimes it averages 10 or 15 cents 

 more, sometimes a little less, depending on the world's supply. 



MR. BERWICK. I believe the price this season in Cov^nt Garden 

 is $2.05 a box — I got a telegram a few days ago. I don't see how they 

 can get three dollars in Oregon when they are sold in Covent Garden 

 for $2.05. There is another point, referring to Professor Wickson's 

 paper. He says, "Will the apple go to the Mountain?" When I think 

 of the Pajaro Valley and the Santa Cruz Mountains I don't think the 

 Pajaro Valley apple will go to the mountain. I have been on the moun- 

 tains, and I don't even find the Santa Clara prune going to the 

 mountains and making anything but bankruptcy for the growers. (Ap- 

 plause.) 



MR. RIXFORD. I would like to ask a question. This discussion has 

 been exceedingly interesting, and I would like to know if there is any 

 one present that can tell us anything about the influence of the stock 

 on the grafting of these pedigreed trees ? 



PRESIDENT JEFFREY. I can answer very easily, because I am 

 in a position to call out any one to respond. Mr. Femmons is called on 

 for that answer. 



MR. FEMMONS. I can't answer from any scientific standpoint, 

 nor can I answer from any economic standpoint ; I can only answer 

 from the standpoint of actual observation in the orchard : that is where 



