The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-25
FRUIT PROSPECTS.
Good Reports Made to the HOrti-
cultural Society.
Professor Allen Speaks EncOuragingly of the
Eastern Markets and Wants the
Fruit Classified.

The State Horticultural Society met at
800 Suffer street yesterday, Professor Hill
gard presiding. Considerable discussion
was raised by a statement of A L. Bancroft
that lie had obtained most satisfactory re-
suits in his orchard by using a disk-harrow
and a cultvator instead of blowing. This
method had required only half the number
of horses, and the expense had been consid-
erably less.
This view was supported by ]. L. Mosher,
who explained the successful working of
cultivator with triangular pieces under each
Of the teeth, but the old system of blowing
was strongly championed by Leonard Coates
of Napa and James Shinn, who claimed that
cuItivating was the more expensive plan
and that the yield of fruit fell of where it
was employed.
Professor Hilgard also called attention to
the facts that blowing turned in insect eggs
which would hatch if nearer to the surface
and that blowing exposed the Subsoil to the
following action of the atmosphere. II the
cultivating method was always employed
the surface Of the soil would be gradually
exhausted.
THE FRUIT CROP.
Various members were next called upon
to express their opinions of the prospects
Of the fruit crop in their districts. Judge
BlaCkwOOd took pesSimiStic view of the
prospects for cherries and plums in Alameda
Comfy
W. W. Smith said they expected the best
cherry crop i'll Nacaville they had had for
five years. Pllms, prunes and apricots
were good. Peaches were never better.
The fruit would be- late and the bulk of that
from Nacayille will so to New York and
Chicago.
Very favorable re orts of the prospects
in their districts were made by j. L. MoSher
of Santa Clara and Judge Stabler of the
Sacramento Valley. The latter said the
peach bloom was as full as he had ever
seen it.
Leonard Coates Of Napa thought it little
early to form an opinion, out the peach crop
promised best.
Mr. Overacker took a more favorable
view Of the prospects in Alameda County
than Judge Blackwood. The peaches we're
fair.
Professor c. Il. Allen of San Jose then
gave some of the results of inquiries which
he had made into markets for California
fruits while with California on Wheels.
Up to Chicago he found that California
fruits were we'll known and popular. From
there on, he found that green fruit was on
sale, but dried fruits were not widely
known,
DRIED FRUIT MARKETS.
The largest markets for dried fruits, he
continued, were in Pittsburg, Wheeler and
that district, for it was the people OF
moderate means VINO bought Qrleu fruits.
There was no danger of overstockng the
market, for only about five people in a
hundred knew anything about California
dried fruits After commenting on the fact
that too high prices were for the present
disadvantage because they would prevent
California fruit from becoming widely
known in the East, Professor Allen de-
scribed some frauds in brands which he had
discovered while with " California on
Wheels" he suggested. as a remedy. that
body be ap 0inted to classify ali known
varieties of California fruit and to describe
each so accurately that a casual observer
could distinguish them. This should be
embodied in a pamphlet and disseminated
widely among the dealers and consumers.
The result would be that fruit would be
sold for what it is.
After F. Staube had submitted an inven-
ton fer pruning fruit trees the society ad-
journed.