Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1895-08-24
OUR PRUNE INDUSTRY.

The American PEOPLE have not as yet
learned how important a place the plum
| holds in the esteem Of the people OF other
civilized countries. The natural conditions
are unfavorabe to the production Of first
class plums in all parts OF the United States
except the Pacific coast region. For this
reason it is hard for the average American
to realize that in Europe the plum ranks
next in commercial Importance to the
apple and grape.
The varieties of plums which are used in
making prunes exceed in commercial i'm
portance the other varieties. Upon the
Pacific Coast are found congenisl natural
conditions for the growth to perfection
OF the fine European plums and prunes which
make this kind Of fruit so important branch
Of the fruit industry. In Western Oregon we
have climatic conditions conforming very
closely to that portion Of France which pro-
duces the highest grade Of French prunes
The climatic conditions Of Oregon generally
are quite similar to those Of the great prune
producing countries Of Europe.
The production Of punes upon large
scale in the Pacific Northwest has commeced.
The total acreage Of prunes in Oregon,
Washington and Idaho is now about 10000
and within five yearsa a crop Of loo, 200, 200
of cured prunes may be- anticipated. Cal.
ifornia will tum out as many or more prunes.
The fact that the aggregate output from the
Coast states will soon reach double the am
cunt consumed in the Uulted States leads to
Apprehension on the part Of some growers
that there will be no market for the prunes
produced in few years.
On the other hand it is believed that the
result Of placing first class prunes upon the
market at low price will be to enormously
increase the consumption. No business grower
anticipates other than low prices for the
bulk Of the prunes produced. 1t is anticipa'
ted that when consumers can get for from
six to ten cents per pound prunes which equal
in quality those which have hitherto sold al
from twenty to thirty cents per pound the
consumption will be enormously increased
The evorporated prunes Of the Pseih'
Northwest are new article in the market
They are unlike any other prunes. Th'
process Of curing in evaporators makes suel
a differance in the character Of the frui
that the same variety Of prunes cured by tn
cooking process in France, by sun-dYing II
California and by evaporator in Oregon ap
pear to be three distinct varieties.
1 While the distinct and novel charaete
our prunes is an obstacle to their introduction
from the fact that dealers and retailers are
afaia Of an unknown article, yet we conf
IDENTIFY anticipate that when the trade an'
consumers become familiar with our evaP
GRATED primes they will be preferred to tn
sun.dried prunes Of California as thos'
prunes are preferred to the cooked Prunes o
Europe.
The prune growers Of the Pacihe North
west claim that their prunes are naturally tn
most highly favored Of any Prunes which ar
dried, that they are the only evaporate'
prunes Of consequence upon the market, tha
eyaporated prunes are as superior to sun
dried prunes as eyaporated peaches or apples
are to the sun.dried, and are the most health
ful and relishable Prunes which can be oh
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