The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1893-10-14
HONEY IN PRuNEs.
Only Four Western States Can Produc,
Them-A Great Industry.

Them-A Great Industry.
The North Idaho Star in speaking OF
the prune says: ''Of all the broad area
of the forty -four states and four terri
tories comprising the United States
prunes can only be grown in the fouI
states west of the Rocky mountains
Washington, Idaho, Oregon and Cali
fornia. The millions of the prune de
vouring people of the remainder of the
cmntry must depend upon the western
slope for their supply.
In the United States, last year, there
were consumed 100000 pounds OF
dried prunes. OF this enormous guam
tity statistics show that 7200,0U
pounds, or three-fourths of the whole
amount, were imported from foreign
lands.
The increase in the consumption OF
prunes is outgrowing the increase i'll
population. People are beginning to
class them as staple article of food
and will have them.
&iiei Val
blue ribbon in qualities of prunes.
They lead California because the green
fruit is better and dries down less than
that of the golden state. They take
the prize over the world at the Worlds
Fair. Not only do these peerless young
states do this in prunes, but in apples
and pears also.
Add to the above fact the probably
less known one that in two of the only
four prune stateS-Oregon and Idaho
not enough of this fruit is grown to
supply the increasing demand of con
sumption within their own borders
This does not indicate that there is the
least danger of the prune industry be
ing overdone.
In the Palouse country there are
now planted about 900 acres of prunes
The annual acreage value of prunes
is from $500 to $500, net. At the
Worlds Fair people now eagerly seeb
this product from our western fOul
states at % cents per pound. The aver
age wholesale price on prunes dried i.
Is cents per pound.
THE first cost Of prune trees per acr,
ard their planting is not more than $40
The only additional expense until they
are in bearing on the fourth year is ;
reasonable rental upon the ground
which, calculated upon the wheat basis
could be safely placed at 80 per acre
This for three years would raise tht
cost to not more than $50 per acre, anC
all the cultivation and trouble tha
could be put among the trees woulC
not bring it up to $50.
Now, let US look at the other side
the income column of the fruit grower!
! ledger: In an acre of prunes are gen
orally iG0 trees. The average yield pc
tree, when in full bearing, is 225 pounds
of green fruit, or 5000 pounds per acre
They Will dry down one-half, giving
| total of 1900 pounds dried per acre
This at 10 cents per pound, the averag'
wholesale price, places in the fortunat,
owners pocket $500 gross income pc
acre. Deducting from this all the con
ceivable expense for ground rent, frs
cost, culture, picking, drying and hand
ling, and one can easily see remaining
an enormous annual profit.
"On the well-known farm of DR.. Bla
lock, in the Walla Walla valley, 2O'
acres are planted in Italian prunes
Last year the owner sold one acre, OF
the tree, tor the astonishing sum o
$3.50. His entire crop he easily dis
posed Of for $3.50 per tree, on the tree
or $500 per acre, without touchin!
them. This was from a 6-year- ole
orchard"