The morning call., 1890-04-05
THE FRUI. QUESTION.

Word comes from the East that the open
winter, followed by severe cold and storms
in March, has materially damaged the fruit
prospect, and that the demand for Cali
fornia fruit promises to be large 1t is to
be hoped that our Orchardists will make the
most of their opportunity.
Fruit is shipped TO the East from this
State in four forms, as green fruit, as dried
fruit, as canned fruit and as preserves
The industry in green fruit is in its in
fancy. -Four or five years ago it was con-
Sidered impossible to ship green fruit, as
the cost of transportation would consume
the whole value of the shipment while de-
lays on the way were likely to cause the
fruit to decay before it reached its destina-
ton. Since then the problem has been
solved. Green fruit will be carried this
year on passenger time from Sacramento
to Chicago and Mississippi River points at
"a cents pound, and to New York at 215
cents a pound. When train of seven
loaded cars can be made up, they will be
hauled TO Chicago on passenger time for
less than l cent a pound. As the price of
green fruit in the season will not average
over cents a pound here, it will Oe pos
sible to lay that fruit down at Chicago at Az
cents a pound; and the experience of the
past two years justifies the belief that it
would bring. on the average. from cents
to cents pound at auction in that city.
Dried fruit is always at good request at
the East especially the high grades of
deSiccated fruit, which, when the moisture
is restored, is used as dessert fruit. We
cannot produce too much Of this if the fruit
that is desccated is of fine grade and
quality. Fresno is producing some adj
fr,f+ Of Ii
that is put up commands a ready sale at
tOlerably fair prices. There are plenty of
rich men in the East who will pay almost
any price for what appear to be fresh
peaches at Christmas time.
Ii is likely chat in the future an increased
proportion of the fruit crop of California
will be marketed in the shape of preserves
No one who has not looked into the subject
realizes what enormous quantities of pre-
serves the world consumes, and what vast
sums of money are paid all over the world
for these adjuncts to the breakfast table.
Great Britain is not fruit-g growing eoun-
try; but the British industry in fruit pre-
serves Is very important indeed, supports
thousands of people, and supplies one OF
England 5 leading exports. In every part
! OF the civilized world, Gordon & Diworth's
| preserves and Dundee marmalade are
property. England has won her supremacy
In this branch of industry over such fruit
growing countries as Spain by the superior
| skill of her preserTe-makers, and the hon
esty of their goods. Now, California can
easily compete with Great Britain in the
! matter Of skill; our sugared fruits-fruits
! glaces-are equal, If not superior, to the
fruits glaces of Paris. We have the raw
material in abundance, and of excellent
quality; and with the prospect of a large
output Of beet sugar in our own State, our
| preserve-makers ought to compete with the
English. 1t would be difficult to estimate
in dollars the value Of the peaches, plums,
cherries, pears, apricots and figs which are
left TO waste and rot upon the trees in this
State. 1t only requires some smart man to
set his wits to work to save all this loss,
and TO create an industry which would add
considerably to the value of fruit land, and
afford employment for thousands of hands