Daily Los Angeles herald., 1880-09-11
The Demand for Semi-Tropic Fruits

The Orchardists of Southern CAL
ifornia are deeply interested in the
foreign fruit market, both exports
and imports. This State produces
many fruits for which there is q de-
mand in Europe and other ceup-
tries. But 1t is necessary for our
producers to realize how large the
home market is. So long as Medi.
terranean oranges are sold in New
York there Is no room for new or
ange groves in California, and the
same is true Of other semi-tropic
fruits, nuts, etc.
The annual report of the Custom
House authorities of New York for
for the year 1879, shows how large
and important the trade in foreign
fruits has become. An increase is
visible in the imports both from
the West Indies and the Mediterra.
mean ports The dangers and dam
ages incident to sea voyage are
such that large risks are run by
the importers. During the year,
for instance, out of $50, 720 boxes of
oranges imported from the Medi-
terranean ports the loss was so per
cent; out of 900,505 boxes of lem
ons the loss was 80 per cent. The
total number of oranges in these
boxes was 239. 651,2 PSI; of lemons
3lb, l76, $50. 1t required 172 vessels,
mostly steamers, to convey this
across the Atlantic. In addition
to this, there were, during the
year, A 1866 barrels of grapes i'm.
ported, largely from Spain. Prices
in New York were low, the fruit
arriving in bad order, owing to
parasitic disease upon the oranges,
which has caused much alarm
among the producers.
West India oranges last year
were imported into New York to
the extent of 26,399, 421, of which
A per cent. were lost. These were
shipped in barrels, by sailing ves-
sells and steamers, and from Jamai-
ca. Havana. Nassau, and other
points. OF lines, the imports were
9SS barrels; loss SO per cent.
Among other fruits which figure in
the list are bananas, cocoanuts,
and grapefruit, shaddocks, plan
talns, mang0es, sapodillas, aIIiga-
tor pears and many others. Fruit
is imported into the United States
from Mexico, Central America
Venezuela, Colombia, the West In
dies, England, France, Spain Por-
tugal, Italy, Greece and Turkey.
AS a question of values and duties
the green fruit, as enumerated
above, which was entered at New
York last year was worth So, $3.50, $40
and paid duties of $3.50, AL.
In this statement no account
whatever has been taken of dried
figs, olives and other fruits; or Of
the nuts, such as filberts, walnuts
and almonds which are brought In
cargoes to New York. 1t Is further
to be rememb ered that these
figures are only for one port of en-
try, and many other cities along
the Atlantic sea board receive di-
rect importations of semi-tropic
fruits. The lower Mississippi VAL
ley is supplied from New Orleans.
Galveston and Mobile also import
West India fruits. Aside from
those distinctive tropic fruits,
which cannot possibly thrive In
California, there yet remains a
wide margin for future growth oil
semi.tropic fruit industries on the
coast. 1t Is a noteworthy fact that
the tropical fruit importations into
New York for 1870 exceeded those
OF 1878 by nine per cent. Evident
ly there need be no immediate feal
of overstocking the markets of thu
United States with homegrown
fruits.-& f. Bulletin.