The record-union., 1893-09-23
CALIFORNIA FRUIT.
Wonderful Development of the Raisin
Industry.
How Foreign Fruit and Nuts Are Be-
ing Driven Out of the Markets
of This Country.

The fruit-growing sections OF the world
view with amazement the push and
energy that's exhibited by the growers Of
the comparatively new field of industry
on the Pacific Coast. Barely ten years
have elapsed since the growing OF the
raisin grape was first attempted in Cali
fornia, but in this almost incredibly short
time the product has grown from a few
hundred boxes per annum to quantity
now exceeding two million, and yet to-
day the industry is said to be in its in
fancy. The fruit has accomplished the
mission of driving from the home mar
ket the Malaga product, and from present
indications it will not be many years be-
fore the Valencia will have taken its de-
parture from the field in which it has had
no competitor since raisins were first IN
trOduced. Ia l8S6-S7, when the California
rasin first began to arrive in carload lots
to this market, the writer took up tne
subject extensively, and followed closely
the progress of the industry, pointing out
the merits of the fruit and the prospects
for it's sale. In doing this he met with
frequent snags in the shape of opposition
from importers, who, blinded by lndl-
vidual interests were unable TO note the
tendency OF the times. and refusing TO
recognize the then growing competition:
AS samples of the fruit were exhibited
the same were severely criticised ana
their inferior quality dwelt upon. 1t
skin was tough, that the fruit con-
sisted largely of seeds, and that
in competition with Malaga they had
not the slightest chance. The product,
however, continued to increase in guam
tity the quality of the fruit steadily I'M
proved, and gradually the consumers OF
the country began to recognize the merits
OF the new article. Following this the
importation OF Malaga began to dimin-
ish. and annually the quantity brought
over from primary sources has Iessened,
until now Malaga fruit Is seldom called
for. and those who have stood by the fruit
in the hope of deriving some benetlt are
now considering the adviSability OF drop
ping it altogether.
Unfavorable comment was also heard
when California prunes first entered the
field. Importers refused to see in the
Pacific Coast product competitor, and
designated the fruit submitted as a
date" and not prune. Consumers,
however. declined to coincide in this
view, and this was soon demonstrated by
the eager demand for the fruit from all
sections and the gradual falling off in the
consumption of Turkish and French.
The industry in California continued to
prosper, and for this year a crop Is count
ed upon to top anything that the State has
ever put forth. Experiments are now
making with figs and olives, and prob
ably but few years will elapse when
these articles will prove as common upon
our markets as raisins and prunes are to-
day. Almonds are also doing well on the
coast, and to this time the financial re-
suits obtained have been of the most sat
isfactOry character.
The walnuts Of California are beginning
TO take rank with the best produced in
any section of the world. The locality
for the finest goods is in the Los Nietos
Valley. There the industry is being
pushed with the accustomed vigor of the
Californian, and France and Italy are adj
vised that the product will continue to
increase, and that the home markets are
wanted by the Pacific Coast growers.
| The crop this year in that valley is esti-
mated at about sixty cars, falling Off
from last year, when ninety cars were
sent forward to the various markets.
Great care is taken with the preparation
of the nut for market. They are picked
when ripe, spread upon prepared trays
and handled in such a manner that the
curing is uniform. They are then graded
through screens, the large size, or say
No. l, being one inch or more in diam
eter; sizes below are classed as No. 2.
| The quality this year VIII, IL is SAID, be
superior to any shipped in previous
years. The growers of this district have
organized themselves, and the entire
crop will come through one source this
season. For the purpose of fully intro
ducing the goods throughout the country
low prices have been established, and it
is expected that the crop will be mar
keted early. The following quotations
have been fixed upon: No. bleached,
l. NA
shell bleached, SIC, and No. 2, do, 6!c.
Though Greece is said to be the only
country in the world where currants can
be grown California is now producing a
small, seedless raisin with which the
growers propose to contest the field with
the straight fruit, hence California "cur-
rants' is another article which will prob
ably be upon the market before many
years have passed.-New York Journal
of Cnmnarca