Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-02-26
Land sold for 400 per acre and 25-feet
lots from SIS to $50. HI. II. Matlock
& Son were the anctioneers.
CALIFORNIA FRUITS.
Remarkable Change I'm the Rails.
In Trade.

Remarkable Change I'm the Rails.
In Trade.
Mr.. ]. X. Ormsby, fruit dealer OF
Chicago, and one Of the heaviest
handlers of California fruits in the
United States, was recently interview
ed and said:
"Do you know it is perfectly won
derful what demand there is now
for California goods. As late as
1872 the entire consumption of Cali
fornia fruit and salmon both did not
exceed 10000 cases. Now our own
sales last year to people in the United
States were over 400. 900 cases, and
the consumption OF the United States
was about 500, 1000 cases of salmon,
and between 100000 and 600,00
cases of fruit.
Gas late as 70 the consumption of
California raisins East was less than
twenty-five carloads. In '87 it is
claimed there we're 800 cars shipped
East of the Rocky mountains, and
there probably were between 500 and
600 cars. The value Of the cars was
about the same in 'S7 as in '79, say
$500 car, so that while there was
shipped $37, 800 worth in 10, there
was 5000, 900 worth in 'S7. / know
what l am talking about, for l bought
the first carload ever shipped East
from California.
"The California raisins have driven
the Malaga raisins almost entirely
~,,k ,e n o~1of E.x,o x1ao~u fho
United States imported about $780,
600 boxes of Malaga raisins. Last
year there was not over 500, 900 i'm
ported.
"More than this, in Malaga q great
many OF the old vineyards have been
pulled up and wine grapes substituted.
ga strange thing has happened in
the raisin business. It is not three
years since we were accused-pro-
badly truthfully-with putting Cali
fornia raisins into Malaga boxes, and
now we are accused Of putting Malaga
raisins into California boxes, as was
done last year."
The whirligig Of time brings about
his revenges in the raisin busines,
assure you.
"The public taste has changed in
favor of the California product.
Spain yet produces a few, very few,
raisins better than ours, but our av-
erage is great deal better. Will we
ever reach their finest products? ?
Just as sure as can be; getting
better and better every year. Yes
sir; pretty soon there won't be any
foreign raisins sold here at all.
"What is the demand generally for
California raisins, peaches, pears,
prunes, apricots, and 80 on? Grow
ing all the time. Last year there
was heavier proportionate demand
than usual, owing to the general
shortness Of the crop East. There
will be good demand for California
goods this year, but not SO heavy as
last, if the usual rule works here,
because generally when We have a
poor yield the one year, we have a
good one the next.
II want to tell you one thing. 1t is
all nonsense, this talk about the flavor
. Of Californ fruit not beir.. as good
as that of Eastern fruit. I have seen
California fresh fru1t here year after
year, as well as East, and main
tain if you bring Eastern fruit here,
it won't taste any better than yours
does there, if as good.
"I tell Eastern people that right
along. Fruit has to be picked green
in order to stand shipment, and, with
the possible exception of pears, it
don't taste quite SO well east of the
Rockies as it does here, but there will
always be a heavy demand for every
thing California can raise.
"Why, California fruits will sell on
the fruit stands on their beauty, and
the United States can take 1,0O0, 900
more boxes of California raisins than
the State has yet produced.
As for olives, too, we can
east of the Rocky mountains
eat all California can produce. There
fore, I say to the fruit-growers of this
State, 60 in and raise all you can.
The people will buy what you raise,
because it is of better quality all
around than can be got elsewhere"