PROCEEDINGS OF THIRTY-SIXTH FRUIT-GROWERS ' CONVENTION. 71 



Local associations, able to render much valuable assistance to each 

 other in the way of providing spraying, hulling and shelling machinery, 

 of promulgating advanced ideas as to varieties, production, detecting 

 and fighting pests, proper curing and preparing for market, market- 

 ing, etc., is the first step. It should not be forgotten that uniform 

 handling and standard grading will be necessary and of untold advan- 

 tage to the grower. Nothing like it could be done which would so 

 speedily put the almond production on a solid footing and relieve some 

 of the other lines of orchard and vineyard production. It would bring 

 multiplied wealth to our State, employment to our citizens by increasing 

 production, and help to settle the food problem of the race, because it 

 is one of the most valuable and condensed forms of food production. 



At present there are organized associations of almond growers in 

 Sutter, Yolo, and Contra Costa counties, and in our own neighborhood 

 we have a quasi association which handles 80 per cent of our output. 

 Every one of these associations has wrought good results for its mem- 

 bers and the trade. Then why not extend the work of organization? 

 Let the growers in every section or community organize an association, 

 and then all the associations select or form some central marketing 

 exchange which shall do the marketing of the crop. This central 

 exchange, with the foreign and home crop statistics before it, could 

 determine what would be a fair price and should be given power to 

 maintain said price. My word for it, the buyers would be just as glad 

 as the growers to have this done if they understood it, and they might 

 be given a hearing in fixing the price, but always the growers' organ- 

 izations should hold the deciding vote. This is a point which can not 

 be too strongly emphasized, because it touches on the weakest point 

 in our body politic to-day. The farmer and the fruit grower con- 

 stitute the only class of people in the world wherein the producer does 

 not fix the selling price on his own products. The manufacturer, the 

 merchant, the professions, labor organizations, all say what their serv- 

 ices and products are worth. Is it not high time for the farmer and 

 fruit grower to wake up and take his stand alongside of his fellow man ? 

 But it requires a Moses or a Joshua to mean success ! Yes, to be sure ; 

 and also be sure that whenever anything is right and needs a Moses or 

 a Joshua, the Power that shapes the destinies of men and nations will 

 not be found wanting with the man or leaders. It all means dollars 

 for every one engaged in the business and that spells commercial success. 

 (Applause.) 



PRESIDENT JEFFREY. The convention has heard this very able 

 article and a great deal of good advice regarding the cultivation of 

 this crop and the varieties to plant. We will not have time to discuss 

 any of these papers this morning, as we want to give the other numbers 

 full time. You will please note down any points you want to discuss. 

 The second part of the program to-day is "Citrus Culture in the 

 North," by Professor Elmore Chase of Fair Oaks. (Applause.) 



MR. CHASE. Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: When, a few 

 weeks ago, our honorable Commissioner asked me to prepare a paper on 

 citrus culture in the north, I protested that a man who had had only ten 

 years' experience in this work was not qualified to do it. He said, 

 ""You can do it." I will try because he said so. I suspect, from that 



