Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-12-04
THE FRUIT QUESTION.
Proposition to Cut Down Apple and Pear
Trees in New England.

by Telegraph
New YORK, December 3d-The retail
dealers here charge large prices for all kinds
of fruits, but the price paid to the growers
hardly pays even those living near the CITY
for gathering and shipping the fruit. The
consequence is that immense quantities of
small fruits are going to waste in Eastern
orchards. At recent agricultural society
meeting in Massachusetts, Dr. Loring. ex-
Commissioner of Agriculture, advised the
farmers to follow his example and cut down
their apple and pear trees. as the supply
had become SO abundant that there was no
longer any profit in raising those fruits for
the market. The same view is held by
many other New England agriculturists.
When pears can be kept until out of season,
the grower can get good prices for them,
but at present the profit in them as well as
other small fruits, seems to 90 almost en-
tirely, if not quite, to middlemen and re-
tailers. New Jersey grape growers also
claim that the present prices for grapes do
nor pay them for their trouble.
Referring to Senator Stanfofds promise
OF reduced freight rates to the California
Fruit Growers Association. the JFeek{y
Tines SAYS The California theory of the
extent Of the Eastern fruit markets re-
quiTes some important notifications. The
fact IS that but for the blind greed Of the
middlemen this market would be supplied
copi0usly from neighboring sources. The
rapacity Of dealers, not content with rea-
sonable profits. has practically killed the
popular demand FOR fruit. Should Califor-
MA competition, operating through an ex-
change controlled by the fruit growers of
that State, compel local dealers TO lower
their rates of commission, the result would
be, not 70 give market 10 the Pacific coast,
but to demonstrate the abundance and ex-
ceilence Of home produce. Facilities for
transporting, which would render serious
the rivalry on the part OF California vine
yards and orchards, is impossible. With
citrus fruits there is, perhaps, a better pros
pect California can beat Sicily in oranges
already, and may some day compete on
equal terms with Florida Is viii not,
however, do for the California fruit.growers
to put to much faith in the illimitability
OF the Eastern market, and all hopes of
controlling this market for pears, grapes
and small fruits are simply lllusory.
In the past the means employed
. to preserve California fruit have been but
partly successful and comparatively few OF
the samples placed on exhibition here have
been faithful representatives of the Golden
State II NAV be that the difficulty will be
removed by increased rapidity in Transport
tation. Certainly if the fruit is sound
ana OF GOOD qullty to begin with, II ought
to suffer less by the railroad Journey OF six
days in specially constructed cars than
tropical fruit which comes to us after q sea
voyage three times as long. Most of the
California fruit has thus far been absorbed
by the great West. Very little has found
its way beyond Chicago. Whether there
IS market for all such products as can
stand the test Of Eastern discrimination
and that OF competition with foreign and
Southern supplies already esta 1lished re-
main 20 be seen We do not think tina;
southern california oranges are rs yet lit
TO compete with those of Florida but that
question will quickly be determined when
the fruit comes together III the Eastern
market. California fruit-growers have a
great future before them. perhaps, but they
must understand thoroughly that before
they can possess our markets they must
conquer them, and that victory in all such
enterprises IS simply question of the sur
YiVal Of the fittest"