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



had to do it; the Oregon and Washington apple growers had to do it. 

 and why should not the grape and fruit growers of northern California 

 do it ? Why should they pay large sums as dividends on stock held by 

 fortunate individuals? Why should they have to pay exorbitant 

 prices for shook? Why should they have their fruit selling through 

 half a dozen agents in a town, cutting each others' throats? Why 

 should there not be some form of inspection by which the poor fruit is 

 kept at home? Why should there not be some organization of grape 

 and fruit people to work with various other organizations in other 

 lines to have some effect on legislation and rates ? Why should there 

 not be some organization to put into effect in a commercial way the 

 storage of Emperor grapes for later sale and keep them out of the way 

 of the Tokay? Why can not we have some cooperation for the benefit 

 of the table-grape producer? 



We. of the San Joaquin County Table Grape Growlers' Association, 

 have tried some of these in a small way, and have been reasonably suc- 

 cessful. Why can not other districts do the same and then all get 

 together under some central organization, no matter what its name is ! 



I said we have been reasonably successful. We shipped some 300 

 cars, and would have shipped five or six hundred had it not been for the 

 poor prices and early rains. We sold grapes in thirty-seven different 

 markets in car load lots, besides shipping to numerous towns in small 

 lots. We shipped grapes from the Sandwich Islands to Florida, and 

 are ready to compare prices with any one of the same grade of fruit. 



We do not claim that we have not made mistakes. We have made 

 them. Some w r e have rectified. Some we will not make again, others 

 we may make in a different form. Still we are hopeful, and buyers 

 are beginning to ask for our pack, and over 250 of our members have 

 signified their intention of going on next season. 



One thing we are ready to do, and that is to cooperate with any one 

 that we believe can help in any way to increase the amount received 

 and lower the amount of cost to the grape and fruit grower. I thank 

 you. (Applause.) 



MR. STEPHENS. I would like to ask one question. How many 

 members are there of your association? 



ME, ASHLEY. There are over 250 paid up for the next year 

 already. 



PRESIDENT JEFFREY. The Committee on Seeing the Valley has 

 asked me to have you pass upon the program for to-morrow. The com- 

 mittee does not think it will be possible, owing to the rain, to make that 

 excursion, and yet they do not want to call it off without the authority 

 of the delegates of the convention, and if you feel that it will be a 

 failure to try and get around to-morrow in the mud, and the committee 

 feels that way, I w r ould like to entertain a motion that we cut that out 

 of the program to-morrow r and use the time in convention. 



MR. DARGITZ. I make a motion to that effect. 



The motion was duly seconded and unanimously carried. 



PRESIDENT JEFFREY. The next thing on the program now is 

 the report of the California Fruit Distributors, by Frank B. McKevitt. 

 the manager of the organization known as the Calif orna Fruit Dis- 

 tributors. (Applause.) 



