The record-union., 1894-09-28
How California Products May be
Sold at a Profit.
INTERESTING FACTS FOR GROWERS
TO CONSIDER
1t Is Believed that If the Fruit is Prop
erly Packed and the Right Varieties
Selected the English Market Would
be a Profitable One for California.

ceTIaluly was novelty TO see IN the ,UO'
barrows of the peripatetic fruit merchants
of the London streets any fruit unspottec
with the CRIME of this grimy city, bu
they were exquisitely tinted California
peaches, beautifully ''bloomed" large
prunes and the splendor of Bartlett pears
that must have been won from generou:
suns.
The public admired, bought and aske ed
for more, but the supply had given out
California fruit, true TO its tradition here
was will O. the wisp, more mex plicable
from the uncontested fact that California
fruit can be brought to London and sold
for price that VIGOROUSLY competes
with the Belgium, French or English
frult, price that allows a better profit
Lhan frult-grOwerS can obtain in the New
York markets.
London is ready. even anxious, to alb
sorb immense quantities OF California
1rult annually, but it is sine qua non
that shipments must be regularly made,
properly arranged for in London and Sc
lected with due reference TO visible sup
plies which should be correctly advised
by cable just previous to packing ship
nents. II this be done, the fruit-growers
OF the Pacific slope may make the Lon
don market their own. Freights and
charges must be carefully arranged and
not be subject to senseless fluctuations.
Although several parcels of California
rult found their way to England prior
to 1892, they were too small in quantity
to justify special transportation arrange
nlents or to attract the special notice of
buyers and jobbers and were promptly
sold as OF English growth. In that year
the matter was seriously attempted by
the California Fruit Transportation Com
pany, i've carloads being shipped per the
steamer Majestic on July 9th, This was
followed by shipments on August 9th,
10th, 18th and 9th, in all thirty-four car
loads. The fruit was received obviously,
but it sprang quickly into favor as soon
as 1t became known to consumers.
The sales of Bartlett pears at Covent
Garden from the first shipment were as
follows: August 9th, Britannia, 2SS cases
of pears averaged IS 5d; August 10th,
Germanlc, $50 cases OF pears averaged los
Sd; August 18th, Teutonic, 566 cases OF
pears averaged Us l0d; August 9th, Brit
annie, ], los cases of pears averaged los
1Qd. The gross sales for thirty-tour car
loads produced $3l 900, California fruit
throughout the season bringing more
money, weight for weight, than the
French. The sales illustrated over again
the fundamental characteristic of the
English, who doubt anything new. but
which, once proved to be good, obtains
permanent place in their esteem.
The result more than justified the en-
terpriSe Of the California Fruit Trans
portation Company, which had entered
upon the affair largely induced by the
fact that Californians have five months
season in England and have the adyant-
age of getting their Bartletts on this
market two or three weeks earlier than
French growers can, and by the fact that
they can continue shipping two or three
weeks alter the French have exhausted
their crops. AS everybody knows, all
these pears are sold as Williams" the
original French pear having been intro
duced into England by gardener named
Williams and into the'United States by
Mr.. Bartlett of Boston.
The first shipment, however, demon
strated one vital fact, that California fruit
must be shipped to London direct, Liver
pool not being the Notwithstanding point
Tor England. Shipments should come by
way OF southampton, as it means practi-
cally clear day gained in getting fruit to
Convent Garden, which, it is needless to
point out to growers, when once the fruit
is out Of the cooling chambers, is vital.
This was we'll illustrated by the first
shipment of this seasons fruit per steam
ship New York. The steamer reached
her dock at southampton soon after
p. NJ; before a. NJ. the last box had left
for London, and before S o'clock the fruit
was all in Floral Hall. AS the Liverpool
mail steamers do not go into dock at once.
such a result would have been impossible
via the MerSey port.
e. X. Hutchins, Vice-President of the
California Fruit Transportation Com
pany, who came over to Superintend the
shipments of 1893, said before leaving
England on his return: 1.-The first shin.
ments of California fruits to England in
car lots is decided success so far as edu-
eating the people to their tastes is con-
cerned, and later on California fruit
growers will find the London market one
of the most Important
In spite OF this promising start in 1893.
when the Slow-moving English incurred
at Covent Garden for early adyices OF Cali
fornia shipments, not pear, not peach
nor plum was forthcoming. All the good
work was wasted, and prejudice was
created against the fruit which English
growers were not slow to turn to account.
circulating weil-pointed suggestions
about the unreliability of California crops
not TO be depended upon, etc.
All OF the fruit of 1892 sent to London
and what has already been sold at Coyent
Garden this year was handled by w. n
White IL Co., limited, the largest fruit
brokers in England. In an Interview
with Mr.. White some additional facts
were forthcoming which are worthy of
the growers attention. Mr.. White said:
''Before the arrival of the fruit shipment
in 1892, l had previously written to
sheer waste of money 10 send California
fruit to London, knowing the extent of
French, Belgian and English supplies,
but had written in ignorance of the fine
quality of the fruit in question, which
conquered my judgment as it did the
taste of the public. As the attempt 10
sell fruit in Liverpool failed, part of it
was sent on to Covent Garden.
"That year the weather was fine warm
with plenty OF sunshine, weather that in
duces people TO eat fruit The English
crops were not heavy, and so 1 realized
very good prices, from l2s to lis box
Reports say that on this shipment there
was loss of $4,000. This | cannot be-
lieye, and my reasons for being incredu-
lous are mainly arithmetical. The charges
from New York to London came to e32
carload, which will figure out about Is i'd
on whole boxes. or so on halt-boxes. The
prices we obtained were far ahead of those
prevalent in New York, where plenty of
California pears were sold at 81 and 81 90,
as compared to s. and 81 % here. New
York charges Is per cent. and handling
charges of I'D for whole boxes and I'd for
half boxes. so how can loss have been
made with an excess In London of about
80 cents per box over New York charges.
when there was fully 81 more per box
paid by London buyers? Now there is
not the least danger in sending any
quantity of California fruit TO London
with an excess of charge over the cost of
landing it in New York of 80 cents, pro-
viding the fruit arrives in proper condi-
tion.
surely growers do not send Bartlett
pears to the railroad unless green, nor al
low them to ripen on the tree. If, when
they are picked, they are put Immediately
into low temperature and kept in it all
the way across, they can be landed here
in green condition. Such fruit as the
Beurre Hardy, Negus, etc., will always
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