The morning call., 1894-05-09
ORCHARDIsTs ARE ANXIOUS.
Bad Reports From All Points in
the Interior Counties.
PRICES MAY AVERAGE UP WELL.
interviews With Leading Dealers in
Dried Fruits Regarding Pros.
poets for the Season.

While the Eastern fruitgrower is en-
gagged in estimating the damage that has
been done to his crop of the coming season
and endeavoring to figure out just what he
will realize on what fruit the killing frost
and severe cold has left him. the California
grower is by no means free from anxiety
as to how the fruit business is going to pan
out this year.
This is especially true of those who are
engaged in the raising of prunes, and from
accounts that have been received in this
city during the past week and ten days
there is excellent reason for their appre-
hension that they are going to have poor
if not bad year.
From dozen or more interior points
advices have been received that the prune
crop. which last month gave such indica-
tions of being heavy one. will not mature
and that heavy losses may be sustained
even in the most favored localities.
According to these reports prunes are
almost everywhere turning yellow and
falling, leaving but small crop on the
trees. and In consequence growers, and
dealers as well. are feeling very uneasy as
TO how the prune crop will turn out this
season. 10 all other respects the condi-
tions attending the prune crop are and
have been very auspicious. The year
opened we'll with prospect Of an unusu-
ally heavy yield, and fair If not high
prices. The dried-frult market. notwith-
standing the big crop of last year. was hy
no means overstocked, and prices were
very firm.
But the orcharGist who felt good when
he saw the effulgent glory of the myriad
white blossoms which crowded his prune
trees did not reckon on continuance of
biting north winds which prevailed during
the latter part of the winter. The winds
kept right on coming. though. and played
sad havoc with the fair white flowers just
as they were preparing to set and form the
young fruit. AS result the buds we're
blighted, and when the fruit was formed
instead of remaining on its native branch
1t fell to the ground in showers to the dis
may and alarm of the grower.
With view of ascertaining some esti-
mate of the damage that has been done in
the State in this way and the probable
effects it will have upon the fruit season
CALL reporter visited some of the leading
dealers in dried fruit.
A representative of the firm of j. K.
Armsby 81 Go. stated that he had received
advicas that the damage to the prune crop
by the north winds had been pretty gen.
eral.
''Of course" he said, I'VE can make 10
definite estimate of the damage yet. or as
to how short the crop of 1894 will be. The
reason for this is that while we can come
TO fair average OF the loss in the old
orchards we do not know what returns
just come into bearing this year. do not
think the new orchards will produce
enough fruit 10 offset any ways near the
shortage, still their product being an un-
known quantity leaves room for estima-
ti0n.
LAS regards the quality of what fruit
does mature L think that it will be larger
and bette, because the trees, not having to
carry such loads, will have the strength to
mature fTst-class fruit. 1t Is yet too early
to figure on any prices Because the crop
is light it does not necessarily follow that
prices must go up to abnormal figures.
Prices will depend more on the condition
of the market than anything else, and /
don't believe 1t will be good year for
high prices. The market cannot stand
them. Stocks are light just now because
of heavy shipments of dried fruit East,
and trade is satisfactory at present.
Similar reports as to damage done to the
prunes have been received by Porter Bros.
Mr.. Porter said yesterday that he was
sure the crop this year would be from one
tn rd to one-half less than last year.
Early in the year," Mr.. Porter said,
''we figured that the crop would yield
about the same as last yeaT-tbat is, 50,-
600, 900 pounds. In addition to this we
reckoned on about 100000 pounds of
fruit from the new orchards, making a
total OF 65,000.O00 pounds. Instead of this
the prospective crop to-day is not over 3d.
000,0 pounds. It would have been a good
prune year, as the market here is well-nigh
exhausted of stock. During two weeks
just prior to ten DAYS ago there was very
large demand from the East. and the con-
seQuent shipments were very heavy. So
now the market is In splendid shape and
the prospects are fine if we only have the
crop, and, as / say, the outlook as regards
this is poor. In relation to prices | can't
say anything, for there is nothing to say.
They will depend great deal on the for
eigp market foreign shipments and the
tariff; but then we'll just wait and see
what we will see"
In speaking with several other dealers
statements and opinions identical with the
above were made and all around there is
general feeling of "shakiness" about
pruaeS.
1t is reported that some contracts have
been made In the Napa Valley at S35
ton. which is about last years average,
and other reports state that in the Santa
Clara Valley $40 ton has been offered,
but none Of these reports have been veri-
fed.
As far as other fruits such as apricots
and peaches are concerned, the reports re-
ceived from the Interior are yet etconflictipg.
In some parts the apricOts have been af-
fected by the frosts, but as there was
prospect of an abnormal crop of them IT is