The herald., 1895-05-12
LOCAL FIELD Of COMMERCE
Consul Caughy's Report on
Messina Oranges
THE ENORMOUS SHIPMENTS
A Costly Experiment for Many European
Growers
An Unusually Large Fruit Crop Promised
in the Mississippi Valiey-A Week
of Full Trade

Charles NJ Caughy, United States con-
sui at Messina, reports to the department
of state, under date of May 9Th, the fol-
low ing facts and deductions therefrom
relative to the seasons business in the
orange line
beg leave to call the department t's at
tention to the following figures showing
the phenomenal increase this season in
the expectation OF oranges from Messina
to the United States: From November
l, 1893. to March 81. 1894, there were
shipped to the United States from this
port %, ,37j boxes. From November |. 1884,
TO March %, 1895. the expectations
amounted to 33s 507 boxes. In other
words, for that portion of the season so
far com pleted. the increase over last year
is 243, l3l boxes, and the remaining
period between this date and March 81.
will probably swell that increase to 26O, 900
boxes. These figures are from official
records of the custom house, which sare
more accurate than digest of the consul
lar invoice book would be- the latter con-
tanning no account OF shipments which
are valued at less than 500. When we
consider that up to the present date the
expectations exceed the total of last sea
son s Shipment by 143. 300 boxes-the latter
only amounting to 1875, 2l7 boxes-it is un
precedented.
The reason for the increased expectation
Florida orange crop had been destroyed
Immediately upon its receipt every ship
per turned his attention to oranges, and.
l am sorr., to say, for many of them it
was costly experiment, for the supply
very often exceeded the demand. and
the prices obtained in many instances
were not Temuneratiye.
The orange season generally lasts until
May, but do not think that the same
disproportion will pe maintained at the
close this year as at present for the rea
son that the shippers are disheartened at
the low prices obtained, and also because
the late crop has suffered material dam
age from the cod weather and heavy
gales which have prevailed here for the
last two months; but it is the general
opinion that last seasons business will
be exceeded this season by at least $50
per cent.
70 few, the experience of the last
few months has brought some revenue;
TO many. 1t has manifested. to their cost.
the inexorabe laws OF supply and de-
mand. but to the commercial world at
large, it has proven that even if all the
orange groves of all other lands be ravaged
by storm and flood, the loss can be
bountfully supplied from the mex
haustible mountain sides and valleys of
the islanH of Sicily.
CHARLES NJ. CAUGHY, Consul.
Messina, March %, 1898.
Oil prices are hardly likely to be main
tained. For the past three weeks rates
>baye ranged from 81 to Sl.20 per tive-gal-
Ion can, though this price has been
shaded somewhat during the past week.
A San Francisco paper says there is no
longer any doubt that the illuminating
oil business of W. =. Fuller e. Co.. the
largest dealers on the coast. has been alb
sorbed by the Standard Oil Company.
The final settlement of the trade mas il is
understood. n tendency to reduce rices.
The cause of high prices is alleged to be
the control OF the business by the Stand
ard company and the scarcity of crude
material in the east.
y = =
There is nothing new in the orange
business locally. Orders continue to come
in regularly. The warm weather at this
end of the route makes the use of ice de-
sirable. which expense IS borne by the
purchaser. An unusually warm spell at
the east seems somewhat to have in
creased the consumption of fruit.
= = &
An Associated Press dispatch from Sc
dalia. Mo-, says that Chicago fruit buy
ers are buying apples and pears in ad-
vance of the maturity of the crop in that
section. The apple crop now promises
to be the largest in fifteen years, while
the yield of pears will be Simply enor-
NOUS" Just what the attempted buying
of the crop before maturity means is hard
to determine. A corner on green pears
might be made profitable. but even in "a
year of moderate fruit crop would be a.
very dangerous thing to handle. The re-
ported shortage of deciduous fruit in Cali
fornia has. however, made the eastern
iruit grower very sanguine OF obtaining a
good price for his pro- uct.