Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-01-01

ing i: arrive in damaged condition. and
thereby making losses instead of profits
Very much of the fruit shipped which ar
rived in bad order is due to careless hand
ling before shipment. 1t is common thing
for fruit to be gathered in rough baskets,
poured into wooden boxes. hauled on dead
axle wagons over rough roads and streets,
exposed to hot sun, wrapped In paper
while in that condition, and forwarded IN
cars loftentime by slow freight without
springs, and with no protection from heat
except the natural or Single covering of the
cars. And fruit thus shipped is expected
TO arrive in market 1000 or 5000 miles
distant in a salable condition 1t should be
understood that only the best fruit that ar
rives in good condition can ever be sold
with satisfactory prices to the shipper. 80
that it becomes necessary to educate every
one who handles fruit for shipment to East
ern markets to understand how to gather,
how to handle, and how to pack, that the
imperceptible damage OF careless handling
before shipment may be avoided.
With cheap freight, quick transportation
and the proper selection and packing OF
the best fruits that may be grown IN Cali
fornia, there is a vast market ever open for
our fruit products. Our dry and sunny
climate enables US 10 grow fruit to
quality TO bear long transportation superior
to that of any other portion of the country;
for, had we a humid atmosphere and
summer rains. it would be impracticable to
ship most kinds of fruit to Eastern mar
kets from California. Since shipping fruit
first began, very great Improvements have
been made in all things connected with the
business the fruit cars that are now be-
ing used are thoroughly ventilated from the
end, and have proved superior to anything
else thus far used. Yet it is possible that
the ingenuity of our people may discover
some method of transportation superior 10
anything now in use.
PRESERVING FRUIT.
Experiments are being made at the pres
ent time with processes for Tie preserva-
ton of green fruit, or for the retarding OF
its ripening, which may prove of great
value in the future to our fruit shipping
interest. But recently | have received a
letter from David Wing, of Rochester, n.
Y. Writing upon the subject of preserving
fruit, he says 1--WE were determined this
season to establish the value of the discov-
cry, and to that end we licensed a ware
house to be erected at Marlborough, ON the
Hudson. 1t was put up in the most COM
plete manner-capacity, los tons OF
grapes, and is now full. The first two
rooms were put in in September, and the
first week of October were filled with Con-
cord grapes, and We have Just had them
opened to take out samples. After fifty days
we find the fruit absolutely perfect,
having the flavor and bloom exactly as if
fresh from the vines. The berries are firm
on the stems, and TO all appearances capa-
Bile of being kept two months longer, if
desirable. The rooms were closed again, and
will not be opened until the 10th or 10Th of
December, when the fruit will be put in
the market for the holiday trade. The
owners OF the warehouse are more than
pleased already, as to-day the goods would
BRING 300 per cent. more than cost.
They have one room filled with Mag
aras, which they do not intend moving
until January. What has been done already
demonstrates entirely the practicability OF
transporting California grapes in perfect
condition by ordinary freights, thus adding
the saving in freights to the profit of hay
ing sound fruit"
Knowing the reliability of these gentle
mems statements, / have great hopes that
they have discovered something that may
be utilized for great advantage to the fruit
industry of California.
FUTURE POSSIBILITIES.
make the following suggestions for the
consideration of those who desire to en-.
gage in fruit culture. If convenient to a
railroad shipping point, where transporta-
ton can be obtained without delay, it will
be safe to plant the leading varieties Of
shipping fruit. If not so located, it will be
better to plant fruit specially adapted fol
drying or canning. Apricots, peaches
plums and raisin grapes will always pay
well if the right varieties are selected
With proper cultivation the best varieties
of soft-shell almonds Chose that bear well
are good paying crop.
The citrus fruits, oranges and lemons
seem to grow and bear as well in Northern
California as in the southern part of the
State. Care is necessary, however, to pro-
tect the trees while young from frost in
some seasons. But when the trees have
attained good size they are apparently as
hardy and prolific as in the counties most
favored for the production of abundant
crops of delicious fruits.
With grapes for wine and raisins; with
fruits of all kinds that are grown in a tenn
perate climate, for drying, canning and
shipping; with nut-bearing, orange and
lemon trees, all growing side by side; with
the industry and enterprise of an enlight
ened people, the fruit products of Cali
fornia will yet make this the richest, mos
beautiful, most populous and prosperou:
State in the Union