Florida Citrus Exchange 
R. P. Burton 
Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen : 
After the grower has devoted several 
years of hard work and close study of de¬ 
tails in bringing his grove to a productive 
age, the most vital question in his mind 
is,—how to put his product on the mar¬ 
ket for the most money. After years and 
years of varied experiences with gradual¬ 
ly diminishing profits in Florida, men of 
activity bestirred themselves, not only in 
their own interest, but the general inter¬ 
est, to devise means by which this ques¬ 
tion could be solved. 
About two years ago the venerable Dr. 
Inman visited California, seeking light 
upon this subject. It was my pleasure to 
meet him upon that occasion and give him 
some suggestions relative to the market¬ 
ing of the California output through co¬ 
operation. Returning to Florida, Dr. In¬ 
man interested a large number who visited 
California about a year ago, when it was 
again my pleasure to conduct them to va¬ 
rious packing houses and show them the 
details not only of the workings of these, 
but of the associations, the sub-exchanges 
and the central exchange. Returning to 
Florida, the gentlemen composing this 
committee of investigation called a con¬ 
vention of growers together, when it was 
decided to organize the Florida Citrus 
Exchange. 
The theory of organization is, that the 
grower manages his own affairs, by first 
coming together in various communities 
organizing associations, these associations 
electing representatives who organize 
sub-exchanges, who in turn elect their 
representatives who constitute the Board 
of Directors of the central organization. 
Having no associations in Florida, it was 
necessary to begin at the top, organizing 
the central exchange, which, through the 
energy and financial assistance of the pa¬ 
triotic growers who performed this work, 
the growers were brought together in 
their associations and sub-exchanges. 
The central exchange is divided into its 
various departments: The sales depart¬ 
ment with a sales manager, through 
which the entire country is divided into 
districts and a salesman or district man¬ 
ager placed in charge of each one. These 
district managers, where there is a suffi¬ 
cient volume of business to justify, are 
employed on a salary basis; where there 
is not sufficient business to justify this, 
brokers are used; these district managers 
and brokers have been selected with the 
greatest care, the sales manager going in¬ 
to each district, canvassing the situation, 
seeking out suitable men to represent the 
exchange and arranging terms with them, 
subject to the approval of the Board of 
