Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-11-28
THE PRUNE.
History of the Fruit in
California.
A PAPER BY W. H. AIKEN.
Tmportation of Prunes-Facts
About the Culture of the
Fruit Curing.

About the Culture of the
Fruit Curing.
The following paper was read before
the State Horticultural Convention a
its recent session, by W. w. Aiken, o
Wrights, Santa Clara county.
The word prune is derived from th'
Latin prunum. which means plum, ant
may be more specifically defined as
plum of firm texture, easily dried whole
in the sun or by artificial heat without
fermenting at the pit.
Prune culture in this State has become
= large and growing industry, and te
successfully compete with foreign prunef
. protective tariff, and intelligent cui'
tare Of the trees, and the best method OF
curing the fruit are indispensable.
The policy of this Government is' and
has been from its foundation. the protec-
tion of home industries and manufac-
lures by proper duties upon foreign inn
ports.
The products of the soil have not been
protected to the same extent or degree
a manufactured articles so much used
by the farmer, and especially is this SC
with the prune. The tariff OF one cent
per pound on prunes was fixed before
fhey were raised to any extent in this
country, and was rated Tor purpose OF
revenue and not protection us appears
from the fact that the ad valorem duty
ON prunes amounts to only lSa per cent,
while the average ad valorem rate OF
duty on all articles is 423 per cent.
The importation of pranes for the year
ending June 30th, 1885, was 1881, ,S20
hounds, valued by importers at S2, l47,
SOS: and for the year ending June 30,
1856, ga, 995, SAT pounds, valued at ",
O26. sos, showing an increased importa.
tion in 1856 of 1858, 725 pounds, but a
decrease in value of Sl20, $40.
The prune product of California for
the wear ending June 30, 1885, was es.i-
mated at l l,S75, 600 pounds, of the value
of $3.50, 900. at eight cents per pound.
For the year ending June 30, 1886, l.
$50, 600 pounds, vslued at $93, 600 at six
cents per pound, showing falling off in
production of $4,000 pounds, and in
value of $57, 600. -
The explanation of this is that there
was not sufficient rainfall last year to
mature a large prune that would CON-
mand fair price in competition with an
unusually large and cheap importation.
The prune crop of this year is still in
the hands of the producer, and cannot
be definitely estimatel; but it may be
safely said, Judging from the good quail
ity and fair quantity on the trees, and
the increased bearing acreage. that it
will amount to about 100000, which,
At eight cents per pound Ia low price for
70 good an arti le) would yield the pro.
pucar $l6O. 600.
The names of prunes cultivated here
are French, German. Italian, Hungarian,
Bulgarian and Silver prunes.
FRENCH PRUNEs.
The French prune has been extensive
ly and proftably grown in certain sec
tions of this State, where the soil, eli
mate and other conditions have proved
favorable.
The first trees of the kind were grown
by Louis Peilier. at San Jose, about the
year 1857, the graft having been brought
from France by his brother in December.
1856.
The French prunes which are so large.
1y exported from France, are made Of
the Prune d'Agen or date plum, which
l. also named Prune d'Ente and Robe de
Sargent. The trune d'Agen is, accord.
ing to the best authorities, the plum
from which the finest French prunes are
made, and is known as the prune of com.
meree. Orchards have been planted and
cultivated in California for nearly thirty
years, under the impression that we had
the true prune OF commerce, cultivated
In France under the name OF Prune
dAgen.
This was first seriously questioned by
Felix Giilett, q Frenchman by birth,
and prominent and enterprising nur.
seryman at Nevada City, CAL, who as
serted in July, 1884, that our French
prune was very different from the Prune
d'Agen OF France, beth in size, color
shape and time of maturity.
He based his opinion upon the conclu
sions drawn by certain horticulturists in
France, from an actual comparison OF the
prunes raj. ed and sent to them by him
for that purpose with what they claimed
was the true Prune d'Agen.
They failed to agree upon the points
of difference, one insisting that the Cali.
fornia prune is Seeding from the Prune
d'Agea and not as large and fine; an
other, that it is the same in shape, but
mot so regularly ovoid; another, that il
is the same in shape and color, but that
there is difference in the pit; and still
another, a leading prune merchant Of
Agen, France, that it is exactly the kind
known in France by the name of Prune
d'Agen, or Pruns d'Ente, and that the
nature of the soil has much to do witt
the beauty and size of the fruit.
Mr.. Gillet, desiring to correct the err
ror, and to introduce in California the
Prune d'Agen, obtained trees from the
north and south of France, and spared
no expense in fully investigating tht
prune subject, and kept the people ad
vised of his progress from time to time
through the press.
His investigation up to November
1885, resulted in change of opinion, 81
shown in his letter to ths State Horti
cultural Society, in which he makes tht
following statement: "Our prune is I
true type of the Prune d'Agen, and the
kind grown in the north of France and
in the valley of the Loire is very pool
tpye Of that famous prune." Our prunt
n not the very type of the Prune d'Agen
cultivated in the valley of the Lot, il
France, where are grown the largest
pruues, which are sold by merchants o.
Agen and Bordeaux, under the name o.
Prune d'Ente or d'Agen.
Through the kindness of Mr.. Gillett
1 sent to a horticulturist at AgerSi
small package of my own prunes for in
spection. reply, under date Of August
rs, 1886, he states that my prune hal
the shape and color of the Prune d'Agen
hut is not the same type, the differenc,
l-:-r L., <ba r,;k oud sapt m tuo mite n.