Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-04-05
A CRANBERRY CAnPAIGN.
A. j. Ryder Intro duces Cranberries in
Europe.

very large last year, some 100000 bush
els, and that prices were low according
~. 1t is not equally well known that a
persistent and resolute attempt was
made to introduce our cranberues into
European markets, especially England
nor the very quaint and numerous
difficulties that attempt encountered.
A. j. Ryder of Trenton, \. j.. "a New
England name, by the way, and true,
Yankee, as his push shows was sent out
to England by the cranberry ASSOCIATION
to begin. He began on the voyage with
members of the Royal yacht club, who
were going home from the yacht races,
with certain British editors and Sir
William Cunard. He also interviewed
the chief cook aboard, who said he had
been unable to cook cranberries to the
satisfaction of passengers and had given
1t up. When told that the trouble Law IN
his using metal vessels and not porcelain
or enameled ware, since the cranberry
acid will not allow metal vessels, the
cook gave over, and on the return
voyage cooked the berries, and the
passengers relished them. In Liver
pool, walking through st. Johns
market, he found only one girl
selling cranberries, and she said she sold
only few to Americans, and the cooked
berries tasted to her like medicine. Mr..
Ryder gave her printed directions for
cooking them to distribute, and encour-
aged her to keep on. She kept on in her
slow English way but didn't cook any at
home. When she told Mr.. Ryder that,
he said, You can't sell anything you
don't believe in. Cook those berries and
try them" That she did, and the next
time Mr.. Byderinterviewed her she said
"Oh, cranberries. [ cooked them and
my folks were delighted with them l
never sold so many in my life. [ think
you have set people crazy about them" "
For meanwhile Mr.. Ryder interviewed
the leading restaurants and hotels ofthe
city, when through they all told him
they could do nothing with the berries
because people didn't like them, after
explanations they all tried them and
found them so good that these berries
went on their dining cards and became
popular at once. Substantially the same
thing had to be done in Mancbestera and
London, for the English are a very
conservative people, ''you know"
But meanwhile American cTanberries
had to meet new enemy. AS soons as
they began to get themselves sold in
the markets, Russian cranberries came
into use, labeled 'American cram
berries" by the unscrupulous dealers.
These are sort Of "hog cranberry, F."
very well known here, bitter and unfit
to eat. Mr.. Ryder at once advertised
the fraud in the newspapers. The
London Daily Telegraph fatty refused
the advertisement on the ground that it
would hurt somebody's business, and it
was only after an elaborate remon-
STRANGE with the editors that the
advertisement went in. He also
threatened to prosecute the dealers
who were deceiving the public with a
false label, and they soon ceased.
Mr.. Ryder next sent a case of cram
berries to the Marquis of Ormond, vice
commodore Of the Royal Yacht club, of
which the Prince of Wales is commo-
dore, and after the marquis had tried
and approved them he assisted Mr.
Ryder to get a crate of berries to the
Prince Of Wales, whose secretary
returned thanks. AS the queen never
receives presents from any one Mr..
Ryder found it trife difficult to send
berries to her, but finally, by the
assistance Of the prince and through her
majesty's secretary, berries were sent
to her at Buckingham palace, and it is
devoutly to be hoped that she had the
taste to like them. For her maiesty's
taste is England's taste, ''you know"
Then Mr.. Ryder tried the leading
jam-makers. The English are great on
''jams,' and thanks to free sugar, they
sell nearly to the whole world; Aintree
jam factory, near Liverpool, covering
some seven acres of ground and being
able to turn out $50 tons day. The
manufacturers were all too busy, we NAV
add too English, to give Mr.. Ryder an
interview, which he had asked byletter,
including Crosse & Blackwell, who sell
us Americans pickles by the cargo, and
1t is tribute to Mr.. Ryder's Yankee
pluck and push that he finally succeeded
in reaching every one of them and
interesting them in his undertaking.
He carried a letter of introduction to
leading manufacturer Of Edinburg, and
while the latter was telling him that the
interview was q waste Of time for both
parties, the American says he had
opened jar Of cranberry Jam and
persuaded his reluctant manufacturer to
taste it, to change his mind on the spot
and to make an experiment with the
berries, all in about five minutes.
4 few days after a letter came from
him saying that he was bound to push
cranberries in his business for all he was
worth. Mr.. Ryder also pushed his
berries into Copenhagen, Berlin and
Paris, always against that conservative
ignorance which is more apt to withstand
a good thing than q specious and even
bad one. From all which two things
appear u that there is large market
for American cranberries in Eurone.