150 PROCEEDINGS OF THIRTY-SIXTH FRUIT-GROWERS 9 CONVENTION. 



cultural topics or scientific topics but we will talk business. The New- 

 castle meeting passed a resolution inviting the next convention to be 

 held there, but as we have had two big meetings there and have to hold 

 still another, it probably would not be wise to have the convention 

 there. 



MR. KELLOGG. Newcastle is not pressing that point. 



PRESIDENT JEFFREY. The reason these matters are not settled 

 one year in advance by the delegates themselves is that sometimes new 

 matters come up during the year, and it is only a matter of selecting 

 the location. Now, I would like to hear from Mr. Frank Femmons, one 

 of our most honored members, and he would like to say a few words of 

 appreciation to this convention. 



MR. FEMMONS. Mr. Chairman and Fruit Growers of California, 

 Ladies and Gentlemen: I was disappointed a year ago in not meeting 

 you at Sacramento, and at this late date I have requested of our Chair- 

 man, the honorable Commissioner, the privilege of thanking you, the 

 California fruit growers, with Professor Wickson. whom I met per- 

 sonalty the other evening, for a resolution that the professor presented 

 before that convention a year ago, and with the sentiments that were 

 expressed at that time, of respect, of loving regard and of appreciation 

 of the life work of Alexander Craw. I come to you to thank you sin- 

 cerely from the bottom of my heart for that loving kindness that you 

 showed to one of the noblest men that has ever lived in this Western 

 country. For thirty odd years I have known him and loved him as a 

 brother. I was with him in his last days and his last hours, and my 

 own hands and those of a sister were the last hands that arranged some 

 flowers about his cold but peaceful face. And oh, the sadness of that 

 hour ! I wish to bring those memories up in your hearts and to renew 

 them in my own, and perhaps I can do no better, as he passed away 

 from us up in the mountains of the Sierras near the Yosemite Valley, 

 than to try, in as few words as I can, to express something of a picture 

 of the last work that Alexander tried to do with his own hands. Per- 

 haps some of his old associates, his old friends that I know he almost 

 worshiped in his very soul, would carry that picture. It was a simple 

 little one and I shall certainly carry it in my own heart as long as 

 I live. 



It was Sunday morning, the last Sunday of his life. The June sun 

 was shining bright and pleasant. The birds were singing in the oaks 

 and pines about the grounds. The forest hills were surrounding us, 

 and up above, on the crest of the mountain, the pines and the firs stood 

 against the sky. AYe were trying to arrange the flowers, do a little 

 pruning here, fixing a little there, though for my own part I was trying 

 to keep him as much as possible from any exertion that I could, but 

 he was all animation, the same old Alexander Craw that many of you 

 have known for thirty years or more. There was no indication of 

 wavering of thought ; he was happy, contented and as hopeful as any of 

 you ever saw him in his life. His brother James, who was with us 

 at the time, but who since has also passed away, came and asked us in a 

 joking way if we knew what day it was. I saw that Alexander was 

 confused. He could not change his thoughts for the moment from 

 his pleasures and find some answer to that question. To help him out a 

 little, I asked, "Is it any harm to help God take care of his beautiful 



