The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-10-07
ENLARGING IT'S FIELD.
Coast Shippers Endeavoring
to Create a Wider Con-
sumption.
BETTER PRICES IN PROSPECT
The Product of Golden State Or
Chards Superior to the
European.

NEW YORK, NY, Oct. 6.-General Man
ager II. A. Thomas of the California Fruit
Transportation Company returned on the
Paris to-day, after a ten-days investiga-
ton Of the London fruit market, to which
the company has been making weekly
shipments during the summer. Although
this fruit has been carried in cold rooms
from the growers almost around the globe
and arrived in excellent condition strong
disposition has been evinced in England to
hold its price down so low as to make it
unremunerative to the progressive Ameri-
| cans who have determined to create a
wider consumption for the surplus Pacific
Coast product.
Mr.. Thomas says he has found where the
trouble lies, and before he left London he
had commenced a campaign of education,
which, properly continued by his COM
pany's representatives there, makes him
confident that the trade will soon reach
the desired proportions on the other side,
and that it will eventually be profitable to
all concerned he has no doubt whatever.
California fruit" he declared to re-
porter for the United Press, WI came up
from Sandy Hook on the Paris sis better
than the European both in flavor and
keeping qualities. It's season begins ear
lier and lasts considerably later, and l be-
lieye there is the same opportunity for it
in London that there is IN New York The
demand for it already exists, while the
competition of home fruit is no greater
than here; in fact, the fruit grown in the
vicinity of New York is better than that
shipped into London from near by.
"The French pears, for instance, are i'm
perfect, and do not run even in size or
quality. They rot very quickly after
reaching, the market, being much more
tender than California fruit in this respect.
They practically have no supply of april
cots or peaches, and these fruits from
America have a good future over there
when the trade in them once becomes
fairly established"
us there any prejudice against our
fruits?''
"No, I should hardly call it prejudice, but
the English buyers are rather more con-
servative than our own in taking up things
with which they have had no experience.
However, they have made money on the
California fruit they have handled this
year, and they are inclined to give it more
attention hereafter. The quantities SO far
shipped have been comparatively small,
only ten or twelve carloads at time. and
the business has been restricted By there
being only one sale week.
81 found that the dealers have been buy
ing this fruit to hold over until the week
following its arrival in order to speculate
on it. If any fruit spoiled in that time
they blamed US for it. We were not en-
gaging to put fruit in London to have it
kept at ordinary temperatures for a week.
Our object was to deliver 1t there ripe for
consumption, and that plan we intend to
adhere to-.
81 have shown them that it is to
their advantage to distribute the fruit and
have it consumed as soon as possible in
stead of locking up their money in it un-
necessarily. To emphasize the wisdom of
this have now arranged for two sales
week, and expect in a short time to hold
sales every other day. These fresh sup
plies will increase the consumption as well
as do away with the speculation on the
part of the jobbers, while these in turn
will make more money by being put in
position to handle a much larger volume
of business"
sis it true that the fruit sometimes
reaches London over-ripe?"
mo; after seventeen days in transit,
with the exception of few Sacramento
River Bartletts, the condition of our fruit
this year has been exceilent-as good on
| the average as IN New York or Chicago
and in regard to the Bartletts the English
| buyers have learned that, provided they
are sound, they may be bought after they
are colored up, and will then keep three or
four days, or even a week.
1.-THE fruit keeps there longer than it does
with US, notwithstanding the additional
length of time of transportation. This of
course does not apply to small lots of pears
which have been sent over simply venti-
lated by New York shippers. for they have
always arrived in bad order. and will new er
cut any figure.
1.-THE French fruit shippers, who have
heretofore controlled the London market,
are already beginning to be afraid of Cali
fornia, and I can see no reason why Cali
fornia fruit will not soon take precedence
in London as it has in New York and
Chicago. The additional expense is light,
the fruits condition entirely satisfactory,
and it has the same advantage there as
with us, in that it Is straight-packed all
the way through. There are no seconds or
imperfect fruit in the packings, and the re-
tailers are learning there, as they have
with us, that they can afford to pay more
money for it on this account.
''The bottom and middle of California
fruit-paokings have been agreeable sur
prises to London retailers. / am con-
WINGED from what [ have seen in London
that California wants to send nothing
there but the very best fruit that can be
raised, particularly as regards size. They
want no small fruit of any description. If
we send them tie best we have l am sure
that within a reasonable time London. as
well as New York, will be glad to get 1900
carloads season."