80 
JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
This list shows at once the great variety of fruits produced 
in the Santa Clara County, as well as the lengthy season during 
which they may be gathered fresh from tree and vine. They are 
all grown out of doors. Vegetables of most varieties are in the 
market all the year round. 
Cost of Drying. 
Far away back in the horticultural history of the county it 
became evident that the financial success of the fruit-grow T er 
depended as much upon his ability to market his produce, as it 
did upon the selection of the varieties and of the locality in which 
they should be grown. 
Fruit growers for years produced fruit and entrusted the sale 
of it to commission men, who were interested in securing their 
commission, rather than in widening the market or intelligently 
supplying its demands. As a result, the markets in some cities 
were often over-supplied, while perhaps those of larger cities 
were not supplied at all. In the case of fresh fruits, which were 
perishable, this often resulted in forced sales and a demoralisa¬ 
tion of prices, while at the same time the same fruit would have 
been gladly received in other cities, where good prices could have 
been obtained. 
Our fruit growers from time to time held meetings to discuss 
the situation and suggest remedies, and as a result of these 
meetings in 1891 the West Side Fruit Growers’ Association was 
formed. Among the objects to be attained was the securing of 
more economical methods of fruit drying and more careful 
methods in the marketing of the product. Both were accom¬ 
plished. This success led to the establishment in June 1892 of 
the Campbell Fruit Growers’ Union. 
The projectors made scientific experiments which resulted in 
the discovery of methods by which fruit could be more economi¬ 
cally dried. A more uniform grading was also insured, with a 
corresponding increase in the price of the product. The expense 
of curing, packing, and marketing was also materially reduced. 
The cost for drying a ton of fresh fruit, including all expenses 
from the time the fruit reaches the drier until it is put into the 
bins ready for sale, such as the cost of sulphur, lye, fuel, handling 
and grading, and the general expenses of operating the plant, 
§ueh as the salary of the secretary, superintendent, book-keeper, 
