Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1869-08-21
California Fruits,

W AANiA VIZ oobJSSL vi Oail-
fornia fruit East by rail was first dis
cussed, some time before the com
pletion of the road, many of the fruit
growers or dealers doubted ifit could
be made profitable, fearing either
that charges would be too high or the
trip too long. But the more the sub
Ject Is considered, the more favor
ably 1T is regarded and now there
are no intelligent fruit growers who
do not look for profitable market
TO open across the mountains. not
only in what may be called the mid
die country, embracing the Rocky
Mountain region and "the plains. -
as far as the Mississippi, but east of
the Mississippi as far as the Atlantic
seaboard. For two or three wears
past California fruits-apricots.
peaches, plums, pears, apple. and
grapes especially-have been trans
ported by wagons to different parts
of Nevada and Idaho, the trip con-
Stunning from five to fifteen days, and
sold at handsome profit, after all
the Jolting and paying from three to
ten cents pound freight. The rail-
way Will lay down our fruit any
distance eastward, from 500 to 5000
miles, and from one to six days, at a
NhS>A NV NASCSoiuS HNe ceUIS q
pound for the largest distance. or
say SlO0 per ton of 1000 pounds.
1t cannot be long before the time
and price here stated will be reach
ed and large fruit growers saw that
at SI0o ton they can, when refrig-
orator cars are provided, as they will
be, place fruit in New York at a
profit. Grapes and pears will prob
ably be the favorite kinds, because
the most enduring. Some of the
lesser frults-such as cherries, apri-
cots, plums, and various kinds of
apples-can be put in the Eastern
market month earlier than thew
ripen there, and sold for fancy prices
TO the wealthy. Peaches and ber-
rles are not so sure to keep in good
condition. Some cherries were sent
this season, which reached Chicago
IN excellent order, and caused much
surprise by their largeness and flaw
or. Looking chiefly to the Eastern
market for this fruit, two of the
largest fruit growers in California,
Messrs. George and John Briggs,
have planted this year orchards of
from five thousand to fifteen thou
sand cherry trees.
Grapes and pears can be furnished
from July to January, both in guam
tltles and of a quality with which no
State east of the Sierra Nevadas can
compare. In the height of the sea-
son we have no doubt that either can
be placed in New York at a cost not
to exceed eight or ten cents per
| pound, after the railroad companies
shall have made every arrangement
| necessary. This cost. including
picking or packing, will leave fine
margin for profit on sales at twenty
or twenty-five cents which can be
easily made. Eastern grapes bring
III the short season that they can be
had at all from ten to fifty cents a
pound, choice kinds going to one
dollar, and foreign varieties, culti-
waited only in lighthouses, bringing
from two to three dollars. The
finest varieties are grown here in the
open air almost as easily as the poor
est. But the common Mission crane
which retails here often SO low as
three to five cents pound, would be
highly priced at the East, where
there is no outdoor grape to equal it
IN luscious sweetness
The leading fruit growers of Cali
fornIa should lose no time in confer
ringwith the Pacific railroad manag-
ers upon the subject of providing re-
frigeratingcars which may gothrough
10 any point. If the business of for
warding fruit by rail is properly or
ganized, il is certain to open wide
market, and to give an immense
stimulus to fruit culture throughout
California. Probably only expert
mental lots will get as far as New
York this year but Chicago and
st. Louis, which can be reached in
tive days from Sacramento, may get
bigger shipments, and very large
ones will be made to all the region
west of Omaha within one to three
days reach of our orchards and vine
yards.