Los Angeles herald. [volume] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1890-1893, 1891-11-14
AN IMPORTANT EXPERIMENT.


The fruit-growers of Niles, Alameda
county, instead'of selling their fruit this
year to the cannery combine" at such
prices as it pleased to offer, formed
union of their own, dried all their fruit
themselves and last week shipped
train of twelve cars of it to Chicago.
There is ready market east for good
quality of dried fruits, and it is believed
that the Niles growers will realize hand
some returns on their shipment.
1t is perfectly feasible for the fruit
growers of every neighborhood to do as
the Niles people have done. All they
have to do is to organize themselves
into union for the purpose of carrying
out the objects SO successfully carried
out so far by the fruit-growers of Niles.
There has been great deal of fruit wasted
in this section of the state this year
simply because it would not pay to ship
it green to a distant market. Last year,
when there was fruit famine at the
east, packers made fortunes out of the
farmers by buying their fruit at compare
lively low prices, drying it and market
ing it in eastern cities.
Every branch of speculation, industry
and enterprise seems to understand the
great value of union except the agricul-
turists. Whether it is that the nature
of their calling diverts their faculties
from the essentials that make combina-
alton successful; or that there is some
thing in country life which leads neigh
boring farmers to be more or less at
feud, it is certain that the rare instances
in which agriculturists have successfully
organized to carry out business pur-
poses seem to render any instance that
approaches success conspicuous and re-
markable.
1t is strange that this is so; for the
farmer has the fact constantly before
him that combination is win
ming card, for he himself is more
than any other toiler the prey of those
who by combination and concerted
effort have obtained control of the
market He is at the mercy of buyers,
of sellers, of transportation companies,
and, in fact, of every class of men in any
way concerned in the handling of his
product after it leaves his gate. There
are combines and unions among those
who thus reap the bene fits of concerted
effort, but unity of action among the
farmers is an idea of but recent birth
and limited extent.
The San Francisco Call, which has
paid close attention to this matter, says
that one of the results of the Niles ex-
pertinent has shown that there is more
profit to growers,in drying their fruit than
in marketing it green. A desirable mar
ket is springing up, both in the east and
abroad, for California dried fruits, and
there is small prospect for very many
years OF this market becoming over
stocked. The same labor and expense
that serves to harvest, dry and pack the
product of one orchard would, with but
slight addition, handle the product of
the orchards of whole section. Had the
progressive orc hardists of Niles entered
into combination for the carrying on
of this work, as we'll as for marketing
the fruit after it was dried, the result
would have been saving OF labor of
handling and corresponding increase
ia profit. More eyer, single large dry
ing establishment in competent hands
would insure uniform quality of prod
uct that, becoming known, would al
ways command market. 1t would do
away, too, with the losses sometimes
experienced through individual failures
resulting from accident, inexp erience or
lack of facilities.
The deciduous fruit-growers of South
ern California may perhaps take profit
able lesson from 1.-THE Niles people. So
far we know that they have successfully |
placed their fruit in marketable con-
dition and shipped it east. What is
still to learn is important, and that is
whether the cash result to the pro-
ducers, after the sales have been made,
will show that the experiment in all its
phases is a success. If it is, then the
lesson is complete, and may be prof
itably followed in this section.
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