6 



OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



Hurlbert closed with a warm expression of welcome to the visitors from 

 all parts of the State. 



At the conclusion of the address a vote of thanks for the kind words 

 of welcome was passed by the convention. 



ADDRESS BY HON. ELLWOOD COOPER, PRESIDENT. 



Ladies and Gentlemen: This is the twenty-fourth State Fruit- 

 Growers' Convention and the twentieth held under the auspices of the 

 State Board of Horticulture. 



The members of the State Board had the pleasure of meeting the 

 people of San Jose in the fall of 1892. Seven years have passed, 

 although to me it seems only a short time since we were here. Many 

 changes have taken place, and much discouragement to fruit-growers 

 by reason of the financial disturbances and the insufficient rainfall 

 during the past three years; but notwithstanding the drawbacks great 

 progress has been made toward solving the most important problems 

 that concerns the fruit industry. Radical changes must of necessity 

 be slow, because the great body of people in any vocation are critical 

 and cautious of new methods or any deviation from old-time customs. 

 New conditions require new modes to meet them. To be successful we 

 must adapt our methods to the necessity that confronts us. 



The greatest difficulty we have to overcome is a proper distribution of 

 our fruits. This question has been discussed at every convention for 

 the past fifteen years. At our last meeting I recommended that agents, 

 selected from among our fruit-growers or those conversant with our 

 fruit interests, be employed to travel through the different sections 

 where fruit can be sold, to arrange with responsible mercantile houses 

 to sell the fruits, to fix the prices, to hold meetings where necessary, and 

 to exhibit to a certain extent how to cook the dried fruits by distribut- 

 ing the bulletin as published by the Board a few years ago. In other 

 words, to educate the people in what is to their interest, as well as to 

 determine the quantity that each market will take at a fair price to the 

 producer; to arrange central houses in all the large markets so as to 

 prevent overstocking or depressed prices. To be successful we must 

 control the sales and manage our own products. These agents could 

 work in the interests of our every product. A small per cent of the 

 commissions paid would be sufficient to meet this expense. Such a 

 plan would give us better railroad facilities; competition among the 

 common carriers would insure the best possible terms and the best 

 time in transit ; all rebates would come to the producers. 



Ian MacLaren, in giving his impressions of American character 

 formed on a recent visit to the United States, speaks of the shadow on 

 American public life — the money-getting spirit — and that all men, with 



