Los Angeles herald., 1892-05-27
FOR THE FROZEN EAST.
HOW TO PROFITABLY SHIP WINTER
VEGETABLES.

vEGE IADLESs
Digest of Information Received From
Eastern Vegetable Dealers-First-
Glass Articles In Demand.
The chamber of commerce yesterday
issued its bulletin No. ii, as follows:
PLANTING AND SHIPPING OF WINTER vEaE-
TABLES.
Some time ago the chamber of COM
merce, acting on the suggestion of sew
eral of it's members who were engaged
in the business of raising winter vege-
tables for the eastern market, addressed
q letter to the Southern California Rail-
way company, asking for information as
to the time when the various lines of
produce would be most in demand and
how they could be most advantageously
shipped. The answer received, which
was digest of much information OBJ
tanned throuhh the eastern agents of the
company from dealers in vegetables, is
considered of sufficient value to offer to
the newspapers of Southern California
for publication, in order that the grow
ers of winter vegetables may proceed
with more intelligence and also that
others may be induced to 60 into line
of work which may at some future time
contribute largely to the prosperity of
this section.
The suggestions offered by the railway
company read as follows:
The trade in winter vegetables COM
mences between December 10th and
January 1st, and lasts until about April
30th. This does not include potatoes,
of which we shall speak later. Hither.
to it has been supplied largely from the
Bermuda islands, but latterly this sup
ply has been supplanted by shipments
from Cuba. If the Southern California
producers will arrange TO have their
crops so planted that they may be
brought to market early in the period
above stated, there is no doubt that
they can be disposed of profitably
against the imported crop, which is
longer in transportation and subjected
to additional exposure, transfers and
handling. By means of the through fast
freight refrigerator service now provided
to shippers from the Pacific coast, these
products can be placed in the markets of
our large eastern cities in almost as
The following points may be Judi
ciously considered by both growers and
packers. Judgment must be used in
the selection of the character of the
seed, lack of which, as has been ex-
planned in the past, is sufficient reason
why Southern California products have
been unable to compete with the south.
ern supply.
Southern California green peas in
Chicago, April %, 1892, sold for 25 cents
per crate. The crate was of the best
material, similar to the crate used in
packing peas from the south, but the
peas were dead. tasteleas and void of the
has when pinched, which in the same
The reason is stated to be that the
variety, not selected, instead of sweet
variety supplied from the south. The
same point will apply to other vegeta-
bles.
Again, it is claimed that full car
load of green vegetables all of one va
riety will spoil in from five to six days.
even though they do not heat. In order
W dVOlQ tlllb tUC CdI 6llOulu NC uuhQO up
of mixed shipments-beans, peas, toma-
toes, caulifoWer, etc. The package pre-
ferred by the commission men is one
third, one-half and one bushel crates, as
are now in use here.
Caulifower and cabbage should be
packed two and one-half to three dozen
to the crate. 1t should be borne in mind
that none of the larger western cities,
not even Chicago, are able to dispose of
an entire carload shipment of any single
vegetable to advantage, hence the rec
ommendation for mixed carloads.
The Southern California potato crop
is next in order. The demand is re-
ported to be favorable for growers and
packers in this section as regards both
quality and prices, and as the business
is already moving, the suggestion is pre-
sented that shippers exercise care in Sc
lecting and in shipping the various sizes
and varieties separately. Good market
able potatoes only should be packed.
1t is stated on good authority that last
season Southern California was driven
from the market by southern cor0peti-
ton at least two or three weeks earlier
than would have been the case had
proper attention been paid to these
points. Care should also be taken that
potatoes are not shipped wet, as they
heat and spoil in very short period
and the trade gets suspicious, and slow
sales and poor prices result.
1t should not be overlooked that you
are shipping to an educated market,
and that strictly frst-class articles will
invariably command their value and
result in satisfactory returns.
These features are presented simply
for information, and with view to i'm
prove the reputation of Southern Cali
fornia productions and the prices se.
cured to our growers by their introduc
ton and disposition in eastern hands tc
an extent that will establish them a.
standard, in order that they may take
the lead over all other competitive pro-
ducing sections.
DandruR.
l