The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-09-28
CALIFORNIA FRUIT IN LONDON.

Difference OF opinion appears 10 prevail
as to the success of the attempts which
have been made TO open a market for Cali
fornia fruit in London. Horace FL. Day
of Sgobel & Dav. fruit-dealers in New
York, tells the New York Tribune that
the sbipments made this year have re-
suited In heavy losses to the shippers. and
that the expectation has been abandoned
Tor an indefinite period. On the other
hand w. n. White. whoeis described as
the largest fruit-dealer in England, says to
a correspondent of a morning. contempo-
rary that tie question need no longer be
asked whether il pays TO ship fruit TO Lon
don, for it certainly does, provided the
cOnsignees have due notice of the ship
menls and the goods arrive In good con-
dition. These two statements are not as
contradictory IS they seem. There have
been shipments of California fruit 10 Eng
land which have Melted loss, as Mr. Day
says. In this case the fruit arrived in an
oyerripe condition, and there have been
shipments in which there was money both
for shipper and consignee, and Mr.. White
had these IN his eye when he spoke with
such sanguiDe hopes of the future.
On general principles there ought TO be
nu QuGS liDu lHhl ~ Will paw W Sulp Shli-
fornia fruit, which is dirt cheap here Ia the
season, TO a cor ntry which can be reached
by fast steamers and ia which there ex-
lists an active demand for fruit. But the
trade. to be successful. must be system
atiZed. The fruit must be carefully Sc
lected, and be, as nearly as possible.
uniform 10 size before it is boxed. 1t must
be shiUpsd in such way that it Will not
be overripe on arrival; that is to say, 1t
must be boxed before il is fully ripe, and
1t must not reach complete rlpeness be-
fore ii is laid in the dealers stall in Lon
don. Ample Ielegraphic DOT ce of the
cOnsigDm ent must be sent to the consignee,
so that he may be ready for its arrival
and may have advertised his auction. The
consignment must be sent via Southamp-
ton, where it can be landed on the arrival
of the steamer, and not via Liverpool,
where the steamers do not dock till next
day Ii these rules are adhered to the
English will soon learn to discriminate
between California and Continental fruit,
aud will furnish a fine market for he
former for four months of the year. 1t is
for our frult-growers TO adopt these rules
If they want 10 count the English among
their customers. Then, with cheaper
DsportatioD, they will be in fair way
to succeed.
All The same. when all is said. it is be-
coming more and more evident each season
that the sales Of green fruit are only a by
product of our fruit industry. No amount
OF care can prevent recurrence of losses
on shipments of fruit for so long a dis
lance as 1900 miles. It will always be a
Questi IN whether the losses on fruit which
is not NJ marketable when it arrives do not
swallow up the profit on fruit which is
landed in good condition aud the years
business does not wind no with reclama-
ton by some one on the shipper. 1t is
really risky business sending such perish.
able property so far afiel1,
The main object of the California fruit
grower ought to be to preserve or dry his
fruit with such skill that he will surpass
the French and the Germans in the art.
The demand for fine preserved fruit in
glass, or carefully desccated fruit in wood
is all the lime Increasing. 1t is thought
by many that these are the true ways to
consume fruit. Doctors sometimes say
that person with delicate digestion should
no more eat raw pear or a peach than be
should eat raw potato or a turnip. He
should only trust his stomach with them
when they have been cooked and treated
with sugar. If we export our fruit in the
shape of preserves, the whole of it may be
saved and none of it dumped into the bay
or fed to hogs. When we make preserves
which will command a place on every
breakfast BILE in the world there will be
big money in frnit-raising In California