Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-06-18
CALIFORNIA FRUITS.
HOW THEY ARE HANDLED AND SOLD
In NEW YORK CITY.
Good Advice to Growers and Shippers
California the Greatest Fruit
State In the Union.

The following letter, addressed to the
RECORD UNION by ELL. Goodsell of New
York city, the fruit merchant who handles
and sells q large proportion of the fruit
shipped from this State to that market, is
full of information that is of interest to
fruit-growers and shippers in this State
Mr.. Goodsell writes, under date of the 10th:
cat the request of one of your leading
citizens, and approaching the fact that
your fruit-growers and shippers cannot be
too well informed as to the methods used
here to market your products, send q few
facts concerning the same.
New York, as a market, takes more
fruit from every quarter of the globe than
any other two cities in the United States.
Up to the present time your fruits cut no
figure with us, as compared with what
Chicago takes. From the fact the increase
in consumption here has been, in three
years, from 60 to 300 carloads, it seems very
probable that l 200 cars will be shipped
here in few years and marketed at profit
able prices. 1t is preferable that the Cali
fornia fruit trade should increase in a
natural manner, as have all the products of
every country, as thereby new outlets keep
poCC, ouo SlutS ouU UdQ prizes are dVOlQ6Q.
"As your readers know, the fruit from
your country comes to us in carloads direct
from Sacramento and elsewhere. The
terminus of the Erie Railroad, by which
these come, is across the North river, in
Jersey City. The train which brings the
fruit is due at 5 A. NJ. Assuming this is on
time, the cars containing the fruit are
switched to covered platform, the doors
of the cars unlocked, when commences
our part of the work here. Very often 1
put ten men on car, and in thirty min
utes every package contained therein from
400 to 900) has been carefully removed,
placed upon my trucks, which are driven
upon the ferry boats running to the New
York side. From the point of arrival to
my warehouse is journey of twenty min
utes. On arrival there a large force of
porters quickly sort the different varieties,
qualities and marks into piles or lots
From each lot is then taken one, two or
three boxes, depending on the total num-
Der in the lot as samples of the same.
These samples are placed on tables pre-
pared especially for them, then opened
and lot number marked upon each box
by the buyers. The catalogue, prepared
beforehand, has the identical numbers on
1t that have been marked upon the sam
pie boxes, hence the purchaser simply
writes opposite the number on his cata-
logue the value OF these lots according to
his idea of what he is willing to paw for
them. If the car in question contains 100
lots of fruit made up of the produce of
thirty-three different owners, each having
a parcel or lot of cherries, apricots and
peaches, then there would be on the cata-
logue thirtythree parcels or lots las we
call them) OF cherries, thirty-three lots of
apricots and thirty-four lots of peaches,
making up the 100 lots in question.
There are engaged in handling fruit in
New York fully 10000 dealers. The
wholesale buyers number about 200. and
supply the retailers and out-of-town
houses. In response to the advertisement
OF this sale, which l insert in the trade
and papers, and by direct notice sent by
mail, the wholesale trade assemblies at my
place of business to make the purchases
needed. The inspection on the part of the
buyers having been completed, the sale
commences by asking for a bid for the
choice of the 80 lots of cherries, the high
est bidder having the privilege of taking
one or all of the same. Naturally, how
ever, the best quality and conditioned
fruit is taken first. 1t is from the compe-
titon arising from the desire to secure
these that the high prices, often more than
the actual market values, are made. The
same mode of action follows in disposing
OF the apricots, peaches, and any other
fruits that may have been shipped.
Showing one of the advantages of the
auction system, would say that l have
sold car of California fruits in thirty
minutes, and the time that has been taken
between the arrival and their ultimate de-
livery to the buyers has not exceeded two
hours, an action most essential in such
perishable fruits. That too great care can
not be taken in packing and shipping the
best grades, properly sorted and packed, is
illustrated by the results made for A. T.
Hatch. of Suisun, who averaged So GA per
box for 10000 boxes of Bartlett pears, and
for K. d. Stephens, of Sacramento, who
averaged for 2,059 double crates of tokay
grapes, 81 81, and for 1888 single crates
81 "a. Also, Weinstock & Lubin, who got
for ,09O double crates tokays. 81 20, and
for 2,297 single crates, So SO. Also, for r.
B. Blowers, who averaged 81 81 for 995
double crates of toksy and emperor grapes.
Let every grower remember that merit is
always recognized and paid for very iber-
ally In the fruit business, while the careless
shipper is treated according to the strict
market value and his deserts.
ut is impossible to give all the details
pursued in order to properly place and dis
tribute your products in our market and its
outlets, but that profitable results and great
increase in consumption have followed
proves the value of the same
The future has bright prospects for a
profitable development for the California
fruit growers so far as New York is con-
cerned. Coming at season when other
near-by-grown products are not matured
and when our market is bare of any great
variety of fruit. your products are now
eagerly looked for here. For the complete
success and best results the grower must
make up his mind to spare no pains to cul.
tivate, pack and ship the best fruits only.
Throw away the inferior, and you will get
more for what you ship of the best than
for double the quantity where the inferior
grades are allowed to go in. Further co.
operation and concerted action on the part
of growers and shippers are necessary, for
the reason that supplies to all markets may
be regulated and 'gluts' avoided.
Having visited every fruit country in
the world, am sure i am justified in say.
ing, with such an energetic class of pro.
ducers and with soil such as Callfornis
possesses, her power and wealth will in a
few years more than equal that of any two
of tho Sfofac ~ The