The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-08-01

Practical Information Furnished by
Consul Lathrop at Bristol,
In England.

The following information relative to
the kinds of fruit that are most In de-
mand in London is furnished by the Ag-
ricultural Department at Washington
through Consul Lorin A. Lathrop.
stationed at Bristol, Eng. 1t will be
found of much value just now in view OF
the regular shipments of California fruit
to London:
English dollhouse peaches begin to APP
pear in the market III April, when they
sell for 10 TO % cents apiece. 1hey con-
tinue right through until English-grown
outdoor peaches appear i'll September ana
October. THESE outdoor peaches sell Tor
D to % cents each. Both the hothouSe
| and outdoor English peaches are large
luscious and of highly attractive appear
anoe. They find their way to the con-
sumner by direct sale from the grower to
the retail buyer, and they reach final
hands in beautiful condition.
In June, July and August, what are
known in the trade as lime melting"
peaches come to England from France
and Spain. They are shipped to COM
mission agents at COvent Garden
market and are sold by auction on ar
rival, the price ranging from II to 36
cents per dozen. Their arrival consti-
tutes what is known in trade as 1.-The
cheap season." which extends through
July and August. They retail at to 10
cents each; Il really fine peach is never to
be had in England for less than cents.
These Continental peaches reach the
market in fine condition, and are packed
with the utmost care in boxes or twelve.
couple OF thicknesses of crumpled It's
sue paper is laid in the bottom of the
box; the peaches are then put III, usually
wrapped in tissue paper; then twisted
tissue paper is carefully inserted between
the rows in sucn a manner that each
peach has nest to itself. A layer of
paper is placed over the top. When the
cover is fastened down, 1t is impsssi BILE
for the fruit To move, and yet it is not
| liable to be crushed by undue pressure.
| In January, February aud early March,
peaches reach the English market from
the Cape Of Good Hope, brought over in
| cool chambers. They are packed in boxes
containing from forty to fifty, and they
| bring from 81 TO So per box according to
| quality and condition. The average price
runs about 81 90. They have the advan-
tage Of reaching q market entirely clear
of similar fruits, and this advantage Is to
be seen in the price they bring.
If peaches oan be successfully supplied
| to the English market from the Cape,
there is of course no reason why we can
not snip with equal success from the
United States. We should not have the
advantage OF winter market nor of
winter prices, and we should have to
meet English-grown and Continental
fruits; but fine peaches arriving In good
condition will always fetch a good price.
The first essential toward getting our
| fruit in prime condition TO England ia
the condition OF the peach when pulled.
AS the peach-unlike the pear-will not
| color alter pulling, 1t must be colored be-
fore picking; and it must also be fully de-
veloped. 1t must also be hard, or it will
not travel. Color, development, hard
ness-these are the three things neces-
sary.
The second essential ia the sort Of
peach. 1t is important to note that cling
stones never bring the same prices in
England as the freestOnes. Under ordi-
nary circumstances, a shipment of clings
from our country TO England would en-
tail disappointment, and they should not
be sent.
The third essential Is the packing. The
French method above described cannot
be surpassed, but it might entail an ex-
penSe without lnsurlng results better
than might be attained by the use OF the
card paper pigeon-holes. If this card
paper be used. the fruit should have
double wrapping Oh paper. and should be
SO placed that IL cannot move in any di-
rection. 1t is desirable that there should
be but one layer to box. Those from the
Cape are packed tour deep; but this
method is regarded with some distrust by
experts at Covent Garden. Each box
might contain dozen, and then six boxes
should be tied together for convenience
OF handling and 10 cheaper the small
| toll exacted at Covent Garden per pack
| age. This toll is about two cents per
package, and is usually paid by the com
| mission merchant and auctiOneer out of
his commission of per cent.
There seems to be no reason why
chilled chambers already prepared i'll
vessels for Transporting meat should not
| be available for peaches. Experience
might show that q temperature OF so
would be little low, but this can only
| be tested by actual trial.
All that has been said above will apply
to nectarines. For fine large nectarines
| there is always good market
| Bartlett pears-called in England usu-
ally the Williams pear-always sell WELL
| and those from California have attained q
high repute in England They pack them
! in four tiers in California, but it is be-
! lieved that there would be less chance of
| bruising if there were only two tiers
| These pears may be- picked quite green,
but they should be developed.
Shipments should be made direct to the
commission merchant at Covent Gar
den; but without previously sending him
an English reference, or otherwise pro-
tecting him, he would not pay freight
upon consignments from All unknown
shipper. The fruit may have gone
wrong" and he would have no means OF
recouping himself.
The auction market is open every day
except Sundays aud holidays. but sales
made upon Tuesdays and Saturdays
bring unsatisfactory prices as compared
with other days.