Arizona republican., 1893-06-07
Between the Salt River
Valley
And CALIFORNIA; Crack
Region,
As the Coming Fruit Center of
the Country.
,Ietter From Placer County of In
terest to Local Fruit Grow
ers and Shippers.

Residents in the Salt River valley
arr always interested in whatever per-
,,ips TO the culture OF fruit and are
o,rticularly interested in what Califor.
MA fruit growers have to say on the
.pbect, not because California is re.
,rded here as naturally superior to
arizona, as u fruit growing country,
Int because the growers there have en-.
5yed the advantages OF long experience
amid less favorably surroundings than
are eni0yed in the Salt River valley.
letter received yesterday by MIR. j.
H. Zegeniuss, of the Phoenix Music
Co., will be of special interest to fruit
rowers in this locality. The letter is
fom his brother-in-law, l.. ii. Carey
Of New Castle, which. next to Sacra-
n,ntJ, is the most extensive fruit
Shipping point in the state. MIR. Carey
also one OF the best known fruit men
n California, and holds premiu ms from
N the northern citrus associations of
he state, and is q reorganized author
ty.
The letter is in reply 20 one by Mr..
hlgeniuss in the interest of local
mowers. 1t contains information
nhered from nine fruit shippers in
Kew Castle relative to the time of
rpsning OF the various fruits, the
method OF handling them, the cost and
Vhatever else fruit growers may desire
OknOw.
fruits have been received for ship
rsnt this year as follows: Ssrawber-
ns., April IA; raspberries, May 0; cher.
rs: Nav 9. Last year apricots were
received June IA; black berries, June 6;
.srly plums and peaches, June IA
alIy pears, July 2; sweet water grapes,
Jl.y 5; nectarines, July 6; black figs,
I1ly Is; Canteloupes and watermelons,
llIy II; early Crawford pears, July 10;
al.cal grapes, July 10; pomegranates,
AUGUST 8; persimmOns, August q;
Bartlett pears, August 81; raisins,
October 2; winter pears, October l6;
Ganges and lemons, October %. This
year, Mr.. Carey writes, these fruits will
X about two weeks later.
Last year the first crates of muscat
Eapes brought Sl.75; on July 80 they
old for $l.25; on August 30, for Sl.00,
nj later in the season the price fell to
5 cents.
The cost OF preparing the fruit for
hipment, aside from that attending
he picking, lies chiefly in the packing
NIes, which may be obtained from the
laoy in large quantities or from COM
EssOn merchants to whom it is in
ended to Consign the fruits, in such
qsItties as may be desired at slight
liyanCe in price. "Shooks" or baskets
lHates cost cents per crate. Ordi-
ay packing boxes, four or four and
ls half inches in depth, cost Z cents;
uiDches, ~ cents; 81 inches, ~.
ants; and six inches, cents.
Ap'icOts are shipped in grape crates,
nre plums and prunes. Peaches for
bog shipment must be wrapped; ordi-
4Y print paper will do.
w. Carey writes that shippers are
AHDg strawberries at $ll.0 and 81 %
Ecrate OF sixteen boxes.
Do the subject OF figs, he accounts
Nthe partial and unexplained failure
llsrge fig orchard on the South Side
" year. He says hOrticulturists in
ssSalt River valley have TO learn that
HDot only do not require water, but
1n crop is certain to be greatly
laaged, if not quite ruined, by irri.
HsOn. He believes that excessive ir-
nuOn was the cause of failure OF the
600 in question. At the time of writ
esthe black zig in Placer county was
~ beginning to ripen. The same
al had at that time been on the
t2lE market for two weeks. 1t will
s'een from the above that all fruits
Ss'naoned ripensd last year in
AtI county at least two weeks later
Al they did in Phoenix, and last Sun
F' mammoth edition OF the Exam
" de.crlbes the fruits OF that county
sh advance OF those in any other sec
@Ao' California, so it appears that all
=. Is required here to establish ex-
asace is more experience and better
aspiration facilities, both Of which
H0Tements are rapidly coming.