The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-12
DUE TO POOR PACKING.
Many Lots From California
Orchards Thrown Out
as Worthless.
COAST FRUIT IN DEMAND.
Would Bring High Prices If Laid
Down in Good Condition at
the Market.

LONDON, Eng, Aug. 1.-THE possible
ties of California fruit in the London mar
ket this year, with the continental fruit
mand, seems to have been partially appre-
ciated by American shippers who were
finally induced to send a consignment a
month ago which brought very fancy
prices, only to be followed up on succeed
ing weekly sales by disheartening de-
preston due to the disastrous results to
buyers here, the fruit spelling before it
came to be retailed.
The responsibility for this condition of
affairs appears to lie entirely at the ship
pers' doors, and unless radical and prompt
reforms in packing and shipping are
adopted Californians will find that the
reputation of their products will be seri-
ously injured, and that the magnificent
profits which otherwise they could rely
upon will not be realized for several years.
The effort to place the blame on the
ocean passage is utterly abortive. The
temperature of the first shipment in the
steamers coldroom was undoubtedly few
degrees too low, but subsequently ship
ments were damaged before they were
placed on the steamer, as demonstrated by
lack of uniformity in ripeness when the
fruit has been opened and sold, within
twenty-four hours after the ships arrival.
The trouble to be remedied lies between
California and New York, inclusive, and
not in London, where the sales attract en-
thusiastic crowds of big buyers, who are
thoroughly appreciative of the fancy quail
ffoc h1yD
The sale takes place under the great glass
domes in Floral Hall, in Covent Garden,
incomparabiy the greatest market in the
world. Wholesale consumers here must
have the fruit reach them green, and the
condition of the lots musJ be attractive
and uniform. Small or medium fruit will
not sell. Only the largest and best selected
varieties are marketable, and the care
exercised in packing must be vastly i'm
proved. Experts in England declare that
the fruit formerly shipped from California,
packed by Chinese, was comparatively
faultless, but from appearances they must
conclude that Chinese labor has been super
seded by something not as good. Another
anomaly appears in the fact tn at while half
cases are ventilated by holes bored in the
sides, whole cases are not so perforated.
In the shipment that came by the
steamer New York, notwithstanding that
the cases were handled as tenderly as eggs
on this side, nearly all the fruit was
bruised, and juice ran in streams from the
lot of plums. Most of the pears were rot
ten at the core, though they presented a
fair external appearance. Eighty-five
cases of pears from D. III. Osborn of New
York were returned to the auctioneer
to-day after the sale as worthless, and they
had to be resold. Over hundred cases of
plums were thrown out before the sale as
utterly worthless.
The sale OF August was an unusually
important one, because the following
Monday was bank holiday, when enor-
nous amounts of fruit were sold to pleas
re-seekers-the day being much like our
Thanksgiving day in its effect on the
fruit market. 1t had no influence, how
ever, as none of the fruit was fine enough
to keep the necessary four days longer.
Oddly enough, cases marked with
women's names bring the best prices, con-
signments from Bessie Osborn and Mrs.
Sharp of CORTLAND, CAL, always evoking
spirited bidding; but cases from men sell
entirely on their merits.
Large peaches are eagerly sought, and ii
wrapped and Grated in small
packages will bring handsome returns.