The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-08-25
COPYRIGHTED


Who began life on nothing at all, as the
son Of a clergyman, a score of years ago.
hut who at A exercises all the powers of
a monarch over the vast territories of
South Africa. is getting ready to sell or
anges and grapes and apricots. lemons.
neaches, plums and many other sorts of
fruit to New Workers, the greatest fruit
caters in the world. and Londoners, who
stand next on the list on that regard.
II was on Nov. Y, 1894, that the POSSIBLE
titles OF South Africa as a fruit producing
country we're first forcibly brought to his
attention. Before that he had been busy
iookins after diamond mines. gold depos-
its. wars with black savages and other
interesting phases of governing and devel-
oping the realm in which he is supreme.
on that date Mr.. Henry A Buffers. who
has passed much of his life in California,
read a paper before the Capetown Cham
her of Commerce. in which he told in de-
tail of the beginnings and the marvellous
development of the California fruit in
dustry, of the great craving for pomologi-
cal products on the part of Americans and
Englishmen, of the resultant great mar
kets in New York and London. and of the
fortunes already made and in. course of
realization by Californians who had I'M
dertaken to supply these markets.
Then he roundly scored the business men
Of south Africa for their indifference to
the situation. He pointed out that all
sorts of fruits can be raised in South At
RIGA, as they can be grown nowhere else
in the world except California. and declar-
A f-fr hot
was what, they would make haste TO join
the procession and win fortunes in the pur-
suit of horticulture.
To those who looked upon his statements
with an oblique eye, on the ground that
California, having entered the markets
some years ago, would undoubtedly be
able to keep South Africa out of them, Mr..
Buffers declared that the success of Cali
fornia fruits could have no bearing upon
the future of South African products in
the two great metropolitan towns of the
north, save to practically insure success.
since the fruits of South Africa would
reach the markets just when they would
be bare Of fresh fruit from the Pacific
coast. This Is because of the reversal of
the seasons south of the equator, by which
there is summer in South Africa when
there is winter in North America and Eu-
rope South Africa" said Mr.. Buffers.
"is celebrated abroad for us niggers its
fevers, its game and its mines. Let us
associate this combination from South At
RIGA in the minds of the world and substi-
tute a picture of pleasant homes and lus-
oious fruits
This paper by Mr.. Buffers, who did not
hesitate to tell the South Americans that
lie came from "a land where people do
not wait for time to bring them anything
which they can reah themselves" caused
a very pretty sensation in South Africa.
& ri al
II he was Interested, and now, according
10 Mr. Edwin l.. Goodsel of New York,
TO whom 1 am indebted for my informa-
ton regarding the South African fruit
movement, the magnate of South Africa
is fully committed to the scheme.
The climate conditions of South Africa
and California" said Mr.. Goodsell, yester-
day, are almost Identical. Each has a
long wet winter and short dry summer.
The soil and temperature are also similar.
There is no reason in the world why a
fruit industry, the like of which has new
er before existed should not be created in
the region of which Cape Town is the chief
port. and there is no doubt either, but it
will be done. Already one stock company
with a capital of a million dollars, in
which Cecil Rhodes is personally interest
ed, has been formed: already trees are be-
Ing set by the thousand in addition to
the thousands now in bearing; already
preparations are being made to transport
the fruit of these trees TO New York and
London.
The problem of transportation will. of
course, be most important, though in the
Agnt of modern achievements not diff
ncult one. Californian fruit is transported
east in refrigerator cars which are packed
In ice, Manifestly South African fruit
cannot be brought north packed in ice,
nut the vessels in which it is transported
-
IN which, by the use of anhydrous am
monia, the temperature can be kept as
low as desired. no matter what the tenn
perature Of the seas sailed through. Fruit
1or the American market will of course.
De brought directly to New York, and the
voyage Will occupy about thirty days, the
port OF shipment being Cape Town. The
voyage to London will take about ten
Gays less, and it is the purpose of the
south Africans at first to send cargoes to
the TWO cities on alternate weeks.
- As 10 the relative cost of shipment from
california and South Africa, the differ
ehce Will be in favor of the latter, as
rates by water are always less than rates
Dy rail. 1t costs $3.50 to transport 10000
pounds of fruit from California to New
1ofk' while it is probable that 40, 900 pounds
u Irult can be transported from Capt
Town TO New York for the same money
ana this will either add greatly to the
prohts Of the South African growers, or
corfespondingly reduce the prices at the
market. 1t will not be necessary to build
ne" steamers for the trade, since it is
possible to fit any craft with the necessa-
~ refrigeration chambers, piping, ammo
ma ma pumps and engine. Besides, New
south Wales and Australia are already
Employing refrigeration to a very large
extent in the South African meat trade
anu the ships as used can be utilized dur
ing the dull season of meat transportation
-oI Irult carrying purposes.
IL Is not possible as yet to speak with
vu1ire dehniteness concerning the date
upUh which the first South African fruit
", WI ne offered in America but it is more
man possible that peaches, plums, grapes
, liu pears from Cape Colony will be un-
.oaued on the New York docks in a little
more than year.
Nnen that occurs, New Workers will
o oe dpie TO get fresh peaches, grapes, and
o,ner deeiduous fruits in January Feb
iiuSry and March. In fact there will hard
~ ne week in the whole year then that
9nlu Irults-not forced, tasteless dollhouse
SioWths-will be out of market either in
we" York or London and In time the
In, iile VIII be true Of all the other great
Us OF the earth. Fresh fruits will then
ksa 1.