The New York herald., 1869-04-07
THE TRADE IN FOREIGN FRUIT.

Genert: ReIHarts-The Fruit Imported Ill
This Cfy-1hc Seasons -Dangcrs and Pecu-
liarties Of the Trade-The Tariff.
Ia all great commercial communities the world
over certain branches Of trade win always concen-
trate within certain limits. New York makes no
exception to this general rule. We find the whole.
sale dry goods trade seeking Its definite
locality; the grain trade, the flour trade,
the sugar and tea houses, the grocery
ana provision dealers, wholesale, of course, have
more or less defined local 'habitation," and are,
TO great extent, localized within certain streets.
II is thus in London and Liverpool, IN Hamburg and
Bremen, at Havre at Trieste and In every other city
nourshing with International and interoceanc
trade. The same Is the case with the trade
in foreign fruit In this city. For years past
all vessels arriving in this harbor bringing
cargoes of fruit either from the Mediterranean or
from the West Indies, Central or South America,
are found at the foot OF Burn9 slip, almost alongside
the Fulton ferry house, where they discharge their
cargocs. In this neighborhood are also located the
stores and offices OF most Of the importers and
wholesale dealers and jobbers engaged in the trade.
During the height OF the season they keep up
lively and busy lssm. Here tile asserting Of the car
goes OF oranges, bananas, c0cOnuts pine apples and
other fruit imported takes place. Those rotten
III any other way deleteriously affected by the voy
age are thrown out; OF the rest according 10 size
an quality the several grades are selected and sep
aratey packed for the trade and either disposed OF
to other dealers In this city, or reshpped to other
markets North, West, and even 70 the South as far
as Baltimore and Washington
The kind of foreign lrut brought to this market by
way of the ocean differs, OF course, with the time OF
the year. Oranges are beginning to be gathered In
the West Indies about December, and from that
time they are sent to this market About the holi-
day season, during the festivities OF Christmas and
New Year.. this fruit Is always in great demand,
and 1t IL the desire OF importers and dealers to be
first in the market with the newly harvested fruit.
As the orange is shipped In a half ripe condition
aud expected to ripen during the voyage, there Is
ALWAYS great risk connected with the trade for quite
q large percentage rot before they arrive, and II not
sold quickly after landing this percentage increases.
This percentage Of loss Of saable cargo, from the
time of It's Shipment IN the harbor of export to the
time OF sale Is estimated at thirty per cent and In
case of uniavoraDe weather causing more than
usually protracted journey 1t sometimes reaches
forty per cent. The West India oranges come from
Pea every IN taat fep St pa from
tllles'D sending US the largest quantity and
the most luscious quality, especially through
OF Baracoa. The arrival OF vessels from
these places with oranges continues from early
lasts from ten to twelve days. In this trade there i
seldom vessel OF larger % grade than q
ssoonsr sGs pnca sm0yq Winch Sns 0 nas % reasons
be very advantageously slowed in the hold
OF schooner Nor are the cargoes so large to glut
the market, which Is the great object or importers
to avoid, since slackening of sales would leave q
greater quantity on their hands and expose them to
heavier risks of loss through natural decay. Small
quantities. particularly or choice fruit, are brought
by the regular mail steamers from Havana, the
oiicers OF which, down to stewards and even the
WATERS ofttlmes engage In small ventures their
own account and not rarely reap large profits and
handsome additions to their regular salaries and
wages.
Within about ten days past the following vessels
have arrived In this port from the West Indies
also some lemons ana cocoanuts:-Scnooner Race
Horse from Baracoa, and schooners Commerce,
Eothen, Linsta. Edwin and Satigawa from the
same port; schooner Ella MAY, with cocoanuts
from san Bias and Sarah Helen from Havana. The
latter vessel was being unloaded yesterday and
1t was quite amusing to all the oaiers and hangers
around the wharves and docks, most of whom were
mere BOYS, watch with great interest basket
AFTER basket with oranges were hoisted from the
hold and thrown out into wooden bin on the dock,
where the good ones were separated nom those
already tainted aud then filled into barrels to be
hauled away by trucks. Many an orange rolled out
on the wooden door Of the dock. and the legion OF
youngsters were chasing them vigorously, while they
themselves their part were chased, AID, with oc-
casonal success driven from their prey Dy the po-
lice or the watchmen employed by the vessel OF the
dealer. About noon nearly half OF the cargo had
been thus discharged and already the entire deck
for ward OF the mast was covered by large pile OF
fruit nc only 10 be thrown IN the sea. The loss by
decay this cargo was estimated 10 be the average,
aoout thirty per cent.
1he market for oranges Just now is said to be duh,
arrived from the Medterranean. oyersocSsua '' the
market and consequently lowering prices and less.
eniny profits, while even the demand Is not up to
terrancan there have lately arrived the following
vessels. with oranges figs lemons and other Italian
OF the cargoes:-From Messlna, brig stephen Bishop
ana schooner sam Weller: from Naples, bark
Michaclc,. and from Castellamare, bark Nuovo Sta.
Anna and bark Herald. Sicily and the lower Nea-
poiitan provinces OF the Italian Kingdom are the
principal fields from winch the trade draws its sup
ply in this kind OF fruit, and especially OF lemons,
though large quantity Is also imported from
some districts IN Spain, aud later in the
season the Mentone lemon from France. They are
also harvested when yet unrlpe and allowed to ripen
IN the hold of the vessel It IL stated, however that
the percentage OF loss In the fruit Is less the
sells rom the Mediterranean than on those from the
West Indies, although the voyage generally lasts
about three times as long. THIS is ascribed to the
greater taken by the Italians to pick the fruit
from the trees In dry weather, and while handling
It, cleaning each orange or lemon separately, wrap
png 10 IN paper and carefully boxing IT, with suf-
iclent openings in the wood TO admit the air. while
In the West Indies the trees are merely shaken and
the iruit allowed TO drop. by the fall many receive
hurts, and there, also fruit that may have been
br okcn OFF the tree during storm aud lain on wet
ground for day or more is nlscrlmnatcly mixed
with the sound rult, and thus, while closely slowed
In the mold, decay sprcaos among ALL