Memorandum by Chase & Company (April 8, 1924)
Dublin Core
Title
Memorandum by Chase & Company (April 8, 1924)
Alternative Title
Chase Correspondence (April 8, 1924)
Subject
Chase, Sydney Octavius, 1860-1941
Chase, Joshua Coffin, 1858-1948
Citrus fruit industry--Florida
Description
An original memorandum written by representatives from Chase & Company. The memo highlights issues that the Florida Citrus Exchange experienced during the 1923-1924 season, including competition between the citrus industries in California and Florida, issues with color-added products, and establishing market regulations for the citrus industry.
Chase & Company was established in 1884. The company sold insurance and later invested in storage facilities and fertilizer sales. Chase & Company was known mainly for its agricultural interests and maintained a series of citrus groves throughout Central Florida. The company was based out of Sanford and became one of the city's largest employers into the early twentieth century.
Chase & Company was established in 1884. The company sold insurance and later invested in storage facilities and fertilizer sales. Chase & Company was known mainly for its agricultural interests and maintained a series of citrus groves throughout Central Florida. The company was based out of Sanford and became one of the city's largest employers into the early twentieth century.
Creator
Chase & Company
Source
Original memorandum by Chase & Company, April 8, 1924: Chase Collection (MS 14), box 3, folder 13.54, Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
Date Created
1924-04-08
Is Format Of
Digital reproduction of original memorandum by Chase & Company, April 8, 1924.
Is Part Of
Chase Collection (MS 14), box 3, folder 13.54, Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
Florida Citrus Exchange Collection, Citrus Collection, Chase Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.
Is Referenced By
Folder referenced in Chase Collection finding guide, http://web.uflib.ufl.edu/spec/pkyonge/chase.htm.
Requires
Format
application/pdf
Extent
3,520 KB
Medium
2-page typewritten letter on Chase & Company letterhead
Language
eng
Type
Text
Coverage
Chase & Company Office, Jacksonville, Florida
California
Orlando, Florida
Spatial Coverage
30.3167, -81.6500
36.747138, -119.770317
28.538084, -81.378593
Temporal Coverage
1924-04-08/1924-04-09
Accrual Method
Donation
Mediator
History Teacher
Economics Teacher
Geography Teacher
Provenance
Entire Chase Collection is comprised of four separate accessions from various donors, including Cecilia Johnson, the granddaughter of Joshua Coffin Chase and the children of Randall Chase.
Rights Holder
The displayed collection item is housed at Special and Area Studies Collections at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. Rights to this item belong to the said institution, and therefore inquiries about the item should be directed there. RICHES of Central Florida has obtained permission from Special and Area Studies Collections at the University of Florida to display this item for educational purposes only.
Contributing Project
Special and Area Studies Collections, University of Florida
Digital Collections (UFDC), University of Florida
Curator
Marra, Katherine
Digital Collection
Source Repository
University of Florida, Special and Area Studies Collections
External Reference
Warner, S.C. "Development of Marketing Citrus Fruits in Florida." Florida State Horticultural Society vol. 36 (1923): 198-200.
Hopkins, James T. Fifty Years of Citrus, the Florida Citrus Exchange: 1909-1959. Gainesville, Florida: University of Florida Press: 1960.
"Sydney Chase Sr. (1860-1941)." Florida Citrus Hall of Fame. Copyright 2012. http://floridacitrushalloffame.com/index.php/inductees/inductee-name/?ref_cID=89&bID=0&dd_asId=600.
Transcript
CHASE & CO.
CARLOT DISTRIBUTORS
CITRUS FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA
April 8th 1924.
Views to be presented by Chase & Company at the Orlando citrus growers' meeting of April 9th.
First:- The low market conditions this season have been brought about by a variety of causes. There has been excess citrus production in Florida and California, and there has also been excess production of apples and all kinds of canned and dried fruits. Consequently, the Florida crop has been called upon to compete not only with its own excess production but the excess and overproduction on all other fruits both green, dried and canned. The opening of the season was handicapped by a very heavy grape crop, mostly from California, whichhad a very material effect on lessening the demand for early grapefruit.
PRE-COLORING: Pre-coloring if properly handled is an advantage and not a disadvantage to the Florida citrus industry. If the color is accelerated by ethylene gas, which is the process in vogue in California, the color of the peel is changed from an objectionable green to color of maturity, and if proper judgement has been used in quality, and also if the standard of maturity established by the State and Government is observed, it helps prolong the marketing season for Florida grapefruit. If improperly handled, it is undoubtedly a detriment. This is a matter that should be controlled by a more rigid enforcement of the law and not only by the authorities but by public opinion in each locality.
CONTROL: In event 75% or more of the estimated crop is in the hands of one agency, it could be mishandled so that the results would be not better if as good as they have been this season. If the distribution is in the hands of people who are ignorant of National merchandising or fail to properly advertise the product in the markets and sell it to consumer or attempt to place too high a value on the goods, it would interfere with the proper consumptive demand and the results would poor.
The control of the crop should mean that those who have charge of the distribution would be in authority to accelerate, retard or completely stop the shipment of any variety where the prospect of results do not hold out the valid hope of at least a return to the grower which will equal the cost of production.
With the coming crop as large if not larger than the one that has just gone into market, it will be absolutely necessary to pay stricter attention to the grading and packing of every box. It may be found that through improper cultural methods or some unforeseen disaster a crop is of poor quality or of undesirable sizes. It may be found that 75% of the crop is of good quality and sizes, with 25% of quality and sizes that should not go into the markets and should be left in the groves. Who is to determine this question?
The writer believes that the Florida growers should invite the cooperation of the U. S. Department of Agriculture and if all agree to abide by the grading rules, this matter can be determined in that way.
CITRUS SIGN-UP-DAY: There is talk of making Thursday, May 1st as Florida Citrus Sign-Up-Day, in an effort to combine 75% of the crop. Who is to determine when this volume of business has been signed up and who is to decide what is to be done with it when it is under contract or agreement? Who is going to be drafted into the service of the growers, to be responsible to them for a satisfactory outcome on the coming crop? Ho w many of you today can agree on three, five or ten men qualified by experience in the business of marketing and distribution 75% or 40,000 carloads of citrus fruit?
Sunniland
TRADEMARK
CARLOT DISTRIBUTORS
CITRUS FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA
April 8th 1924.
Views to be presented by Chase & Company at the Orlando citrus growers' meeting of April 9th.
First:- The low market conditions this season have been brought about by a variety of causes. There has been excess citrus production in Florida and California, and there has also been excess production of apples and all kinds of canned and dried fruits. Consequently, the Florida crop has been called upon to compete not only with its own excess production but the excess and overproduction on all other fruits both green, dried and canned. The opening of the season was handicapped by a very heavy grape crop, mostly from California, whichhad a very material effect on lessening the demand for early grapefruit.
PRE-COLORING: Pre-coloring if properly handled is an advantage and not a disadvantage to the Florida citrus industry. If the color is accelerated by ethylene gas, which is the process in vogue in California, the color of the peel is changed from an objectionable green to color of maturity, and if proper judgement has been used in quality, and also if the standard of maturity established by the State and Government is observed, it helps prolong the marketing season for Florida grapefruit. If improperly handled, it is undoubtedly a detriment. This is a matter that should be controlled by a more rigid enforcement of the law and not only by the authorities but by public opinion in each locality.
CONTROL: In event 75% or more of the estimated crop is in the hands of one agency, it could be mishandled so that the results would be not better if as good as they have been this season. If the distribution is in the hands of people who are ignorant of National merchandising or fail to properly advertise the product in the markets and sell it to consumer or attempt to place too high a value on the goods, it would interfere with the proper consumptive demand and the results would poor.
The control of the crop should mean that those who have charge of the distribution would be in authority to accelerate, retard or completely stop the shipment of any variety where the prospect of results do not hold out the valid hope of at least a return to the grower which will equal the cost of production.
With the coming crop as large if not larger than the one that has just gone into market, it will be absolutely necessary to pay stricter attention to the grading and packing of every box. It may be found that through improper cultural methods or some unforeseen disaster a crop is of poor quality or of undesirable sizes. It may be found that 75% of the crop is of good quality and sizes, with 25% of quality and sizes that should not go into the markets and should be left in the groves. Who is to determine this question?
The writer believes that the Florida growers should invite the cooperation of the U. S. Department of Agriculture and if all agree to abide by the grading rules, this matter can be determined in that way.
CITRUS SIGN-UP-DAY: There is talk of making Thursday, May 1st as Florida Citrus Sign-Up-Day, in an effort to combine 75% of the crop. Who is to determine when this volume of business has been signed up and who is to decide what is to be done with it when it is under contract or agreement? Who is going to be drafted into the service of the growers, to be responsible to them for a satisfactory outcome on the coming crop? Ho w many of you today can agree on three, five or ten men qualified by experience in the business of marketing and distribution 75% or 40,000 carloads of citrus fruit?
Sunniland
TRADEMARK
Document Item Type Metadata
Original Format
2-page typewritten letter on Chase & Company letterhead
Collection
Citation
Chase & Company, “Memorandum by Chase & Company (April 8, 1924),” RICHES, accessed April 26, 2024, https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka/items/show/1205.