Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-13
FORTUNES IN FRUIT.
Thousands of Dollars Worth Rot
Each Year Under the Trees.
GREAT CHANCE FOR THE FARMER.
How the Present Waste Could Be Coined
Into Hard Money.
BRANDY DISTILLERIES WOULD PAY

granite nils OF New England to see peopl
in other parts of the country stubbing thei
toes on opportunities for making none,
without seeing them. A man, one remov
from these wooden-autmeg manufacturers
New York Yankee, who lives in Ravenna
O., was in the city yesterday, and brie
account Of his versatility may furnish
pointer to some people hereabouts at tim
when the masses are beginning to lift "
their eyes and rejoice in the as yet din
dawn Of cooperative prosperity.
This man, who will be recognized il
this account by many people in the bust
ness world and by almost any one in North
eru Ohio, happened 10 be marching through
Georgia" three years ago and came across
section which he recognized as one of the
best localities in the world for growing
peaches and as the land was cheap be bought
some and set out %, 900 trees. He will gel
1900 bushels from the trees this season and
expects to have a small fortune from next
years crop. This venture, however, but
led up 10 another of greater dimensions. In
casting about for the best market for his
prospective crop, this Yankee discovered
that the export of canned and cured fruit
jellies, etc, was a profitable business, so
securing partners he established evaporat-
ing houses in Missouri and other localities
in the fruit belt where fruit was dirt cheap
and as in Allegheny county scarce con-
sidered worth harvesting.
HOW THE FRUIT WAS CURED.
In these evaporAtors the moisture was all
extracted from the fruit and it was then put
under heavy presses and so much reduced
IN hulk that between 400 and 500 pounds
could be put into barrel. and in this shape
1t is shipped to Europe where it brings
highly remUnerative prices, and a consider
able profit was gotten from the parings and
cores, which were made into jelly, which
also sells readily across the water. This
latter product Mr.. Gladstone years ago ad-
vised farmers to make extensively, as the
poor of Europe relish il highly and use it in
stead OF butter on their bread as it can be
furnished more cheaply when made on a
large scale. 1t is said that more fruit rots in
the United States every year than is con-
sumed in all England, where none is allowed
70 rot.
The nero of this narrative goes about his
business systema tically, every detail is
carefully considered, and a considerable
nrOnt Is realized on bv-productS alone. He
asserts his fruits of all kinds, and there is n
small machine which he uses by means
OF which one man can asSOrt 400 bushels
day. The apples, peaches, etc, with the
exception of pears, are run through the
machine, 1t does not work well on pears, and
three different sizes are conveyed into
separate receptacles. The first quality is
shipped to markets where people q re willing
to pay II large price for a first-class article:
the second suits the class who want cheap-
ness rather than quality, and the third is
suitable for evaporating, while the offal
makes jelly. Finally this little machine
that does the separating costs but $50.
HOW FARMERS CAN MAKE MONEY.
Now here isa chance for the co-operation
provided for by the law OF ISS7. Though
farmers are not truthful above ali other
classes, yet their claim that cereals cannot
be raised in Western Pennsylvania to COM
pete with the western products has been
abundantly verified and there is but little
profit in truck farming unless large amount
Of capital and elbow grease is brought to
bear. Now, for number Of years past, the
grangers between this city and Greene
county have been coy ering the hill-tops with
fruit trees, bur complaint is made that when
the season il propitious fruit does not pay
Tor marketing I'm Pittsburg, and that the
only advantage in having it is the pleasure
Of possession.
Now there is not q single cannery or
evapOraUing establishment of consequence
in this vicinity and the idea presents itself
that # there was just Il little get-up iii those
farmers they might turn stuff that rots
yearly, into profit. The work would furnish
a large amount OF employment to boys, girls,
and women. There was some talk of the eS-
IA bliShment OF a brandy distillery at the |
mouth Of Moon Run some time ago, but of
late nothing has been heard OF it. The talk
OccasiOned considerable speculation as to
the probable effect the distillery might have
on the temperance sentiment of that local |
1ty. 1t WAS feared that some prohibitlonists
might fall from grace when confroted by "a
ready market for their fruit.
PROSPECTS OF A BRANDY DISTILLERy.
There were several distiIleries there
abouts in the olden times, and though the |
ancestors OF the present Prohibitlonists |
were moral men, they generally liked their !
tam, and besides, it pula better to make |
whisky than 10 ship the grain, and it is just |
possible that the moral sense Of some |
fathers in Israel VAS somewhat paralyZed 4
by the profits Of distiliation. |
Now, as to cooperation, one who has made |
p study of tae subject says it will not sue |
ceed until people whose business horizon |
Is necessarily narrow learn to sink them |
selves and put the management into the |
hnads of those fitted for it. They should hire |
a good business man to superintend, put him |
under heavy bonds to achieve results wanted |
and make the superintendent an autocrat |
W heneEer jeaiousies arise these corpora
tlons go on the rocks unless |
some are financially strong enough to buy |
out the dissatisfied, as was done in tie case |
oi the Cooperative Glass Works, of Beaver /
Fails. That venture has been a pronounced |
success, but it has had a large infusion of |
Anglo-Gernan blood in it. and Germany
has had more success than the Celtic nations
in cooperation 1t has been fairly success
ful in England. but the dash of German and |
Dutch blood has had much to do with sue
cess. We're there a co-Operatiye canning l,
Q nd evanors tinS co,onanT Tbara Zee o,.arattn6 /
might be made beneficial in more than one
way. At present poo: people consume a
vast amount OF fruit that is unfit for use
Dealers hold it for full price until it should |
DC sent 10 the dumb, and then some will sell |
il for half or quarter price to get it away
before it is condemned by the inspector
Many poor people buy it rather than do
without fruit altogether, and its consump-
lion causes mach sickness
PEACHES A DRUG ON THE MARKET.
A regular market a a medium price would
pay consigners, consignees and the public |
better than this feast or famine business. |
Peaches were a drug ON Liberty street yes
terday and commission men were in a sweat.
a. they We're almC5t afraid to take prices |
offered lest they should get raped over the |
knucklcs by shippers. Now ifthere was a 1
cnnnery here IL could use the surplus at a
moderate price and relieve congestion at
,uch times.
There is another kind of cooperation that
would pay, but it would probably not be in
has been dwelt upon before and it is
lnly necessary to say that if 100
1r 200 heads OF poor families
we're to combine and employ an all round
expert business man to buy for them and
nave distributing room where the orders
IF each could be filed at wholesale prices,
,sy 4, 20, would o1 $40 save heavy profit in
De over 30 per cent. Onions have been |
jOld in this city by some small dealers at the
ate OF S. 80 per barrel, when they cost at
wholesale, or in Jobbers lots, So barrel, or
i 90 per bushel, giving the retailer nearly |
80 per cent profit. If any housekeeper will |
tudy table of wholesale prices and COM
lnre il with what he or she pays it Will be
nunG tnat this kind of coopera-
ion would pay the expense of
'ooIn rent buyer, and still save
It least 80, probably 50 per cent of the pres
mt cost Of living. OF course this plan would
complicate matters for time and
'e very unacceptable to some small dealers