Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-12-25


Florida oranges will thus be sold this
season than in any previous year.
Mr.. J. Cromwell says, in his opinion,
as the result of twenty years expert
ence in the fruit trade, that it will be
vastly more to the interest of fruit
growers of both Florida and California,
to send their product to responsible
commmission houses here, as he thinks
returns made by tue latter will be in the
future, as they have been in the past,
more satisfactory than By any other dis.
position which can be made of them.
II have this season handled fifty car
loads of California grapes, and do not
believe that at auction these grapes
would have netted two.thirds the prices
/ have been able to realize for my con.
sgnees. think, next year can handle
double the quantity at satisfactory
prices. 1t now costs 81 per box to
bring them here from California. Ii
they could be transported for 81 box,
there would be no end to the demand
for them. Tie same condition will also
apply 10 other fruits. Transportation
companies get the lions share all the
time"
Mr.. Merritt, of the Merritt Fruit Co.,
does no believe in auction sales. He
AYERS that in his experience of over
twenty years in handling fruits, he has
been able to realize from 20, to 40 per
cent above auction prices.
Messrs. Lyon Bros, extensive fruit
and grape dealers do not solicit general
fruit consignments, but in oranges act
only as agents for certain groves. They
do not believe any combination can be
formed to control shipments, whether
to auction or individuals. They say the
trade will, in time, regulate itself like
the trade in apples.
Florida Fruit Exchange. believe that in.
discriminate shipments demorali2s the
market, and that it is only matter of
time when all the Florida fruit will go TO
auction. ''In few years the Florida
orange crop will, barring accidents. be
10, 00O. 600 boxes yearly. There must be
a mutual and systematic plan for selling
it. Florida and California fruits will
soon Dive out the foreign product and
find large sale in the London market.
The views expressed by Mr.. G. s.
Palmer may be taken as fair sample
of those held by the industrious, sub.
stantisl and reliable general commission
merchants of New York. He has had
l6 years experience in handling all sorts
of products including the fruits of Flor.
ida and California. MIR. P liner thinks
that domestic fruits would command
better returns through commission
houses than from auction sales and
sould reach much larger consumption.
He says commission dealers have been
largely instrumental in creating and
organizing the present trade in these
fruits and they are entitled to considera-
ton. Established commission mer-
chants do not as rule buy goods; they
are compelled to stick to their legitimate
commission business. They now have
close communication with dealers in
adjoining States and furnish them regu-
lar supplies. Sales exclusively by auc.
tion will largely dry up present avenues
of distribution. Goods arriving from
long distances require inspection and
careful asserting to bring value. My
Florida correspondents say the growers
thoroughly tested the auction plan last
season through the Florida Fruit Ex-
change and they have found it unsatis-
factory. The institution which was to
remedy their difficulties has proved
worse than the disease.
Messrs Sgobel & Day are the present
agents of the Florida Fruit Exchange in
New York. Mr.. Day is this active bust
ness man OF the house. He has had 26
years OF practical experience in the i'm
portation and sale of Mediterranean
fruits. Mr.. Day has high character
for integrity and ability, and it would
surely seem, that If he cannot make 1t
successful, the auction system as inaug.
urated by the Florida Fruit Exchange
must be abandoned.
Mr. Day says: ut is my conviction,
based upon experience, that the proper
way to dispose of large quantities of or
auges, lemons and grapes is by auction.
Great umbers of new men throughoutthe
country have within the last few years
arranged to make regular and direct pur.
chases from the auction house, person.
ally, and through their brokers here. /
sincerely believe that beore very long
the entire fruit product OF the country
will be distributed at auction. 1t will
be necessary and in full accord with the
progressive spirit of commercial affairs.
"Our first sale of Florida oranges at
auction this season took place on Thurs
day--and the prices obtained were fully
equal to any made at private sale for
the same grade of fruit. Returns 10 the
shippers were made the next day."
We have thus summarized the opin.
ions of many of the leading fruit men of
New York, from actual interviews with
them. OF course largo amount OF
interesting and valuable information
bearing upon this subject was ELECTED at
these Interviews, which space will not
permit us to print. No one who will
carefully investigate, can fail to be i'm
pressed with the vast proportions which
the fruit trade is soon destined to attain.
1t is altogether desirable that some sys.
tenn should be early adopted which will
popularize and place these fruits within
the reach of all, and at the same time
best subserve the interests of the pro.
ducers and distributors.
We shall revert to this subject again
in future issues, and shall also give at.
tion to other matters of Importance TO
the fruit industry, such as the question
of transportation, etc.-N. Y. Market
Review.