The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-08-24
MANY TONS OF PRUNES
The Great Crop Which Clarke
County Will Ship East.
ENTERING MANY NEW MARKETS.
Virtues Of the Italian Prune Becoming
Known-A Trade Seattle Has
wrested From Portland.

The Eastern fruit growers misfortune
Is the Washington fruit growers opporsu-
nifty, is the axiom which Is being proved
by the experience OF the present season
in this state. Late frosts destroyed a
large proportion OF the Eastern crop, but
I'm Washington il is unusually large and
thus a great opening has been created in
the Eastern market which the Washing
ton crop is fully able 10 I'll and has been
illing with the earlier fruits. The ship
ment east Of strawberries, blackberries,
and cherries by the car load has been fol-
lowed by similar shipments Of Wenatchee
and Yakima peaches, and now Clarke
county is preparing TO ship an unequal
led crop of about 100 car loads of "a, 600
pounds each OF prunes.
The extent 10 which prune growing has
become the staple industry of Clarke
county was told 70 a PostInteiligencer
representative yesterday by Phil F. Kelly.
OF the kelly-Sutthoff Company, who has
just returned from a s'x-months' visit 10
the East. where he has been working up
the prune business. His firm has sue
ceeded in placing the Italian prune grown
in Washington. and particularly in Clarke
county. in many markets that several
years ago were wholly unacquainted with
it. and he said of IL:
Virtues of Italian Prunes.
1T has been demonstrated that the Ital-
ian prune will not grow in California or
other sections. and is a native of our state
and Oregon. Ii is a hardy prune and OF
great character. and requires slow grow
ing climate In order to mature properly.
The Italian prune grows almost entirely
to large-siZed fruit. which fact increases
its value, as prunes are sold on size and
quality. This industry has grown from a
hap oad Nil
years ago by Mr.. Arthur Hidden, and fol-
lowed later on by Mr.. l.. b. Clough.
Messrs. J. II. Fletcher e. Sons and 9TH
erS, and now nearly every orchard in
Clarke county has its own fruit dryer and
is actively engaged in the business.
THE Italian prune. as grown in Wash
ing ton. resembles in a certain particular
the heretofore weli-known Bosnia prune.
which takes its name from the province
OF Bosnia in Turkey. The similarity be-
tween the two comes from the fact that
the Italian and the Bosnia prune are both
tart. as compared with California or i'm
ported French prunes. This tartness of
taste imparts character which strength
ems the quality of the Italian so mucn so
that a consumer, when eating the Italian,
can do so without any additional flavor,
such as orange or lemon peel and lemon
Juice, which is usually given TO a French
California prune to relieve the insipidness
of taste.
Will Soon Beat California.
at will be but matter OF few years
until the prunes Of our state will COM
mand higher price even than those
grown in California. IL is but matter
of education and one that the growers are
constantly at work at, besides they are
yearly improving their packages and all
are up-to-date. live packers.
ION account of the uncertainty of our
weather in the North during the curing
season. which commences usually in Oc-
tober. the growers are compelled to use
evaporators entirely. Tho evaporators,
most OF which are of the hot air process.
require about thirty-six hours to cure the
fruit, after which the Italian prune goes
through sweating process, which oc-
cupies about two weeks. Then the fruit
is ready to be marketed. and will keep in
first-class condition for year or more.
The people OF Clarke county are easily
the pioneers In this business. and are
certainly entitled to great deal of cred
II for the development of the industry
that viii ere long be one of Washinston's
greatest sources of wealth.
development of the Industry.
THE culture of the prune began in
Clarke county about 1876. Since that time
the industry has steadily increased. sta
tistics in 1913 showed nearly 1000 acres
planted 10 the Italian prune. with cor
responding increase in 1894 The two past
years over $50 tons of dried Italian prunes
have been shipped from Vancouver. all
OF which were raised in the vicinity OF
the town. At least thirty driers have
been in use the past year. with an out
put of not less than 2o,0oo pounds per day.
1.-THE prune comes into bearing at five
years old. and the careful and intelligent
grower can then begin to reap the re-
ward of his labors. At eight years of age
the prune orchards about Vancouver have
paid an average OF from 500 10 $500 per
acre. These statements are made in good
faith BY men who have no object other
than telling the truth in regard 10 the re-
sources OF the country.
Prices this year have not opened as
well as last year but 1t is estimated that
the growers win net about 81 cents per
pound (. .. b.. for their product This is
tho lowest notch prunes have ever
reached and il is believed that IL will he
quite few years again before the grow
ers are compelled to sell at such low
figure.
Nancouver's New Railroad.
Clarke county. as every one knows, lies
south OF the Yakima section. and being
very contiguous TO Portland, most OF the
trade of that section has heretofore gone
20 the Portland market, but IL is hoped
that this will be- speedily overcome. now
that the citizens OF Vancouver, with their
usual enterprise and push. have organized
a company 10 build a railroad from Yak
ina TO Vancouver. The business men Of
Seattle should appreciate the Vancouver
ties position and give them every assist
ance in their power 20 build the contem-
plated road, for It would pour into the
lap Of Seattle the trade OF one OF the
finest sections in the whole state. a sec
ton, too which is built up by people OF
/ Independent means, who derive their IN
comes solely from their uneXcelled fruits
M o. NJ Hidden. Of Vancouver. has
a matter in hand. together with num-
her of other gentlemen, who will shortly
como 20 Seattle With a proposition. When
they do. We think SeattIeites should give
all the assistance in their power n the
binding together Of that most fertile fruit
distriC: with cur city"