The record-union., 1896-01-23
ENGLISH MARKET FOR FRUIT.
Suggestion Of a Prominent Fruit Grower
Of This County,.
He Thinks Californians Could Find a
Market Through the Birming-
ham Alliance.

California fruit-growers are placing
the horse before the cart" remarked
William Brooks, a prominent horticult-
urist of Mayhem Station in this county
In discussing the subject Of the Cali
fcrnia fruit industry the other day.
Mr. Brooks has been in the business
since 1888 in the American River fruit
district, where he has fifteen acres Of
vines, five Of fruit trees and some
twenty acres in hay, etc.
I'VE should" he said, "aim to make
fruit growing profitable, and the first
and most important thing to be accom-
plished is, how to do it. We have the
land, the climate and have fully DEM
onstrated the fact that ours is the
greatest fruit producing State on the
continent, but have not the outlet for
our fruit to make the business profita-
Bile.
"It is to the interest of every grower
in the State that an effort be made to
improve the present conditions and
ascertain how markets for the great
quantity and variety of fruit produced
here may be acquired.
California has never had such an
opportunity as the present to place her
market There is an organization in
England the Cooperative Society,
that is ready to take thousands of tons
Of our dried fruit, if the quality and
prices were inviting. This organiza
ton has ample facilities and capital
for placing our fruit in the hands of
the millions without the aid or ex-
pense of middlemen.
,frzo 1a, Jrt4To r.
ters at Manchester, sends out buyers
at various seasons of the year all over
Europe, and even to Canada and New
York, for produce, as well as fruits.
1.-The aggregate volume of business
for 1894 amounted to S2050.0O0. have
been in close connection with the or
ganization for thirty years past, and
am fully acquainted with its mode Of
operating.
"In 1895 there was formed in connec-
ton with this organization an inter-
national cooperative alliance. A meet
ing was held in London, at which rep
resentatives were present from France,
Germany, Belgium, Italy and even
America, and DR.. Lorimer of this coun-
try was appointed one Of the Vice
Presidents. One object of this alliance
was to bring the producers and con-
sumers Of the different countries closer
together.
1.-THE problem that is to be solved
said Mr. Brooks ''is how to get our fruit
into the hands of these people. I would
suggest that communication be opened
at once, through the State Fruit-grow-
ers' Association, with this alliance.
Being personally acquainted with sew
eral of the leading members Of the or
ganization, would be glad to give
them all the information possible, in
order that general good may be accom-
plished for our State. and benefit to
our horticulturists.
TT is we'll known that the prices that
have prevailed has been destructive to
this industry. An outlet on an extensive
scale, such as suggested, would re-
lieve California of her great surplus
and give a better home market for the
many engaged in this industry.
can ocular demonstration I believe
to be the practicable way of bringing
out two things without expense-an
output and market for our fruit, and
through this the promotion Of a desir-
able immigration of people anxious to
be at the fountain-hea of the supplies.
Manchester, within a radius of fifty
miles, has a population Of seven mill
ion people, to say nothing of the scores
OF other great cities Of England and
Scotland"
Mr.. Brooks is a native of England
and thoroughly conversant with the
subject of the above statement. He will
gladly answer any questions asked
through the columns of the Record
Union"