The herald., 1895-05-09

the market from which they had been
gradually driven by Florida. AS Flo.ldai
has done. so California must do--by the
excellence Of her oranges keep the Eu-
ropean product out. The California navel
is the orange OF the future.
The gentleman then explained the
method OF Italian orange or lemon ship
ping by giving hypothetical case An
italian in New York city whose father is
nrower or sshipper Of oranges in Italy
approaches banker and asks for d letter
OF credit for, say. $4,000, agreeing that if
it is given that 400O boxes Of oranges shall
be consig ned to the bankers order. That
siGnment arrives and is sold. To the dol
lar on each box advanced by the banker,
and generous interest for the accomIno-
dation add the charges for transportation,
brokerage, ETC., making a dollar and a
half: Now suppose the cargo sells at 81. 20
per box. the young New York Italian will
have made 20 cents box, or $500. If the
fruit arrives in bad condition or finds an
exceptionally well supplied market. and
realizes but 80 cents hox-why, the
banker is out $500. The young Italian
will tell him that it will be made up to
him upon the next consignment, but it IS
a loss. and the banker knows It,
every month in the year. and when they
are scarcest they bring the biggest price.
New York in the year 1894 consumed in
the month of January 5000 boxes Of
oranges; in February, 24.00O; in March,
%. 900, April, -S3, 600; May, 125, 900; June.
$1,000; jury, $4,000: August. 1000; Sep
tember. few scores; October, 5000; No
vember, 800. and December 1000.
Why do you cure your lemons? 1t may
be necessary. | am not grower and SO
dom t know that part of the business. In
Sicily the lemon is taken from the tree
and INSIDE Of seventy-two hours is on the
way to New York. have recently been at
Pomona. Azusa and other points and
frankly dad not see one good lemon.
first really choice lemons have seen DUR
ing my stay in California; saying
this he opened package and exhibited q
branch of lemon tree bearing cluster
OF Eureka lemons. l am going to take
that home and when I get there l will
call some of the larger Italian fruit men
into my offices and will say to them !:
fornia is going to drive your fruit out Of
the eastern market just as the Florida
orange drove out. the Italian fruit, or made
the latter secondary factor.''
\ j. W. Freeman of Ontario exhibited
samples of lemons. some cut from the
lree only the night previous. the Others
that had been through the regular pro.
fair fruit by Mr.. Dav, who said
Do not be afraid of shipping a lemon
tinged with green. Other conditions be-
ing all right the slightly green lemon
will sell as readily and as well as the all
yellow fruit. Eastern buyers never cut
into lemon. If it appeals to the eye
satisfactorily, that is enough. Carload
after carload OF Sicily lemons arrive in
which practically every lemon Is sound.
Ii you have 5000 boxes to sbip-dont dc
it. Ship but 5000 of them. Do not send
the inferior fruit to market.
Now, in closing, let me suggest that a
number OF you lemon growers get to.
gcther and make up by contributions oil
ten or fifteen boxes each. a carload which
shall be sent east. We can then soon tell
whether or not something needs correct
ing.
Railroad freights have been lowered.
and believe that the roads could vel
afford to keep them where they are or
even lower. You should be abln to secure
discrminative rate on choice and in
ferior fruit. The freight rate should not
be the same upon the good quality and
upon the poor quality. You have much,
labor costs but II cents day. usual y
the father. the son. the wife, the motner,
the daug ghter-the whole gang, are EN-.
ployed in the orchards there. But the SUI
perior quality of your fruit. and good and
attractive packing, will eventually nable
you to compete successfully with the
Italian fruit that is grown and gathered
by cheap labor. packed into boxes manu-
factured in the state of Maine and chen
by cheap ocean freights landed in New
York City.
The gentleman closed his discourse by
urging upon lemon growers the adoption
OF a standard California package.