San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-08-04
FRUIT.
SAN ANTONIO'S SUPPLY.
Where 1t Comes from, What 1t Costs
And Who Handle and Pay for It.

Where 1t Comes from, What 1t Costs
And Who Handle and Pay for 1t.
"How is the fruit market todayu
querried q reporter of the we'll known
Houston street fruit dealer, Mr.. G. M.
Aiken.
Dull, just at present." was the re-
ply" you see. this season of the year,
happens to be the dull time of the
trade. Besides, there is very little
fruit to put OH the market. The fruit
season in Texas this year has been
an unfortunate one, so that there is
scarcely any native fruit to be had.
About the only thing we can get
from local growers are figs, which are
in great quantity and very cheap.
"The season of California fruit has
just opened, but so far the only fruit
on the market from that state are
pears plums and prunes. TheCalifornia
grapes have not yet matured, but
1 expect the first shipment by the
10th of August, and If you come
around sometime in September, 1
will show you something nice in
grapes. No, I can't give you any
figures to show the value of the fruit
trade in San Antonio, but you may
rest assured that San Antonio fruit
merchants handle three times more
fruit than any other city in the state.
Some Galveston people are trying
to get ahead of us in that respect,
but San Antonio is bound to con tinue
to be the principal distributing point
of the fruit trade for the whole state.
The principal varieties Of green fruit
handled are oranges, pears, prunes,
plums, peaches when we can get
them, bananas and oranges, the last
two forming the greater part of
the trade, and lemons. The first
oranges to arrive on this market are
from Louisiana and then follow those
from Florida, q few from Mexico,
Cicily and Messipa, and lastly those
from California. The orange season
has past, the only ones on the mar.
ket now coming from Honduras, aud
they are rather dear. We get our
lemons from Europe, principally from
Spain and Messinia, no native lemons
being sold, those raised in California
being unfit for market. They are
worth So per box, though some dream
ers have given out that, on account
of various causes they would 60 as
nigh as S25, but they are unreliable
Fruits of all sorts are scarce in
Texas this year, and the California
growers are having a picnic. Prices
have advanced so per cent over those
of last year. The California fruit
grower can dispose of his crop at his
home market to outside buyers, with
out having to take risks Of consign-
ing them to commission Dealers
about prices, but Mr.. Aiken probably
thinking it Improbable to discuss
finances announced his budget of in
formation exhausted.
Mr.. Boero, the Market street mer-
chant, was more communicative and
we give his quotations for wholesale
prices:
Lemons, in 40 pound boxes, s. to
$3.50; pears, in 40 pound boxes, $2.75;
plums and prunes, in 20 pound boxes,
So to 81 25; peaches, in 20 pound box
es, S. 40 to $3.50; Ell Paso grapes, in
10 pound boxes, 80 cents.
OF the quantity of fruit brought
here there is very small proportion
consumed locally, the rest supplying
outside customers. OF the volume of
this trade it is difficult to speak with
certainty, but it is something enor-
nous, or will appear so to persons I'M
used to consider San Antonio as much
of fruit market.
The principal bulk of this consists
chiefly of oranges, bananas and lem
ons, especially the two first, the total
volume being expressed by some
thing very near 200 carload lots al
ready having entered San Antonio,
with the season of grapes and Cali
fornia fruits just opening, up to date
only three carloads of new fruit being
received the season having been on
tor about six days.
The express companies are prepar-
ing to take hold of the opening grape
season and great quantities of this
lucious fruit are coming in from Ell
Paso, and it is noteworthy fact that
the grapes from this locality are pro-
nounced superior to California. A
considerable quantity Is also coming
, in from Las Cruces, New Mexico.
Texas may have been unfortunate
this year in her fruit season, but 1t is
conceded that there is no reason on
earth why she should not, with prop
or care, displace the California fruits
with productions of her own.