Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-11-18
FRUIT-GROWERS.
INTERESTING ESSAYS UPON THE
GRAPE AND OUNCE.
How Fruits Are Dried and Packed
New aud Interesting Processes
Eastern Shipments.

lows: 1. The care in selection, the kind
| and size of packages, the marketing anc
shipping. 3 The proper time to gather
the different kinds of fruits, the curing
etc. 3. How the fruit-growers are to dis,
pose of their fruits without coming into
| competition with each other as to prices fol
the same quality and kinds of fruits.
THE BEST GRAPES FOR TABLE AND MARKET
In an essay upon this subject, Professor
George Hussman said it was one of vast
importance to the State. This no one
would deny who has watched the home
| market, as well as the shipments East, and
the high prices which are yet obtained for
choice California grapes there. Being some
what familiar with the Eastern market, he
was satisfied that California grapes will al
WAYS sell, as it is impracticable to grow the
European varieties at the East IN the open
air. and these are so different from the ma
tive varieties in their flavor, texture and
appearance, that many will prefer them
even when the markets are crowded with
Catawba and Concords, provided they can
be had at reasonable prices. They will pay
best late in the season. We can hardly
compete in earliness with some of the ma
tive grown in the more Southern States,
and as Virginia, North and South Carolina
and Georgia can grow excellent grapes,
bring them to market early and with lower
freights our main object should be to
grow late varieties of attractive appearance
and firm texture, so that they will arrive
in good condition, and keep some time af-
ter their arrival. With such, and reason
ably low freights, we can have the entire
country for a market.
Among these the Flame Tokay seems to
take the lead, on account of its late ripen-
ing fine color and appearance, and its firm
texture The only drawback seems to be
its liability to sun-scald, and its somewhat
unequal ripening in some localities. 1t is a
strong, vigorous grower, and always COM
mands satisfactory prices from the grower
to the dealer, as $40 per ton was paid
for them in upper Sonoma valley, the
grower picking and delivering them in
common grape boxes, and the buyer paying
for the packing, sorting and handling.
This is, of course, outside of the clippings
and refuse, which is generally sold to
wineries, and makes very nice white
wine. Three tons per acre of mer-
charitable grapes is about an aver
age product. which would bring the
return per acre, including the refuse, to
about $130 per acre. The tendency to SUM-
scald could be overcome to great extent
by early pinching of the fruit bearing
shoots, which will have the effect to make
the vine throw out more laterals, grow
more compact, and thus shade its fruit
better.
Among the late ripening black or dark
colored varieties the Emperor, Black Cor
nuchon and Black Ferrara seem to be the
favorites, as they are loose in bunch, the
berries of large SIZE and the long, firm
stems seem to hold the berries well, so that
they arrived in good condition.
OF the white varieties, the Muscat of
Alexandria, the Verbal. and perhaps the
White Cornuchon, seem to be in the great
est demand but the general impression
seems to be that white grapes will not
bring as good prices as colored ones.
For nearer and home markets, the Nal
vesia, Rose of Peru, and for early market
ing, the Early Madeline, which ripens
fully ten days in advance of the Chasselas
Fontainebleau, will always be in demand,
though they often come down to such fig
ures that it will hardly pay to pick and
pack them.
The Crosse Colmant is a variety to be
recommended, as it is very productive, has
splendid foliage. and therefore is not liable
to scald; has uniform bunch, very large
berry of fine color and appearance, and
ripens evenly and late. Whether it is firm
enough for distant shipment remains to be
tried. It certainly deserves a thorough
trial.
That soil and climatic conditions should
have due consideration in the choice of va
rieties is self-evident.
THE OUNCE AS A MARKET FRUIT.
Professor George Hussman read an essay
upon the ounce as a market fruit. He
said he believed the days for making for
tunes in a few years from our vineyards
and orchards are passed; that we will have
TO content ourselves with fair living profits.
Instead of making from $1,000 to 81 200
per year from an acre of apricots and
French prunes, we will have to be satisfied
with from 500 to $500 Such fruits as will
Weld sure crops annually-those of the
least perishable nature, such as will stand
transportation best and give moderate but
certain returns every season, are the safest
to tie to.
He believed in mixed farming-in di-
viding the large tracts into smaller ones,
and planting them with variety of fruits,
such as will come in at different times,
thereby distributing labor over the whole
and crowding all the labor into month or
two, is the only true solution of the labor
problem in this State. Put thrifty family
upon a hundred or even fifty-acre tract,
where they can raise their own animals
and feed for them, and succession of fruit
trees. a few acres of vineyard so as to give
the members of the family employment
the wear round, with one or two steady Ia
borers to help them, and we will come
nearer to settling the vexed labor question
than by all the restriction Acts and anti
Chinese leagues.
Since he had been in the State he had
noted with pleasure the marked success of
the ounce everywhere, with and without
irrigation. Although formerly believing
that this tree succeeded best in low, damp
ground, he has since learned that it -four
ishes and bears well even in dry soil, pro-
ducing uniform crop of good-sized, smooth
fruit. The ounces grown in California are
far superior to those grown in Missouri or
the Mississippi valley States.
They can be grown almost anywhere !;
are hardy and sure producers. They are
less liable to the ravages of insect pests
than almost any other fruit. They ripen
late. and can be marketed aud shipped
when other fruit is out of the way. They
are less perishable, can be packed when
still green, and will ripen perfectly on the
way. They can be shipped as common
freight, SO there is less risk and cost in their
transportation. and will not suffer if side
tracked for several days in transit. Mr..
Howe has 20 acres about two miles from
Sonoma, planted nine years ago, with 8, 200
trees, 16 feet apart. They have had a good
deal of fruit before, but produced the first
regular crop in 1SS5-about 2,4OO boxes.
These were partly shipped to New York
and ST. Louis. He Melted 4S cents per box
on those shipped to New York, and 81 cents
for those sent to ST. Louis. This season he
estimates his crop at 6, 400 boxes, or two
boxes to the tree. Some of this crop has
been sent East, from which returns have as
yet not been received. The balance was
sold in San Francisco, at an average of 40
cents per box, which is considered fair pay.
The Eastern market has been somewhat
glutted, but returns indicate good profit,
and will pay $50 an acre, valuing the pro-
duct at so cents per box net. From the
ninth year the profit of tree may safely be
put down at 81 EACH or at the rate of Sl69
an acre. Deduct $50 for eultiyating, pack
ing and handling, and interest on capital
invested-which is certainly a high es;i-
mate-would leave clear profit of 500
1t is a new industry, and the ventures made
50 far are mere experiments, which may be
greatly improved upon.
Quite discussion followed the reading
of the essay on ounces. Many of the fruit
growers claimed that they were valueless
as commercial fruit aud not much ac-