The record-union., 1896-01-23
CALIFORNIA FRUITS ABROAD.
Of1Gid Comment on Our Fruits in
London.
Belief in Successful Market-What is
Necessary to be Done Select
ing and Packing.

the Secretary of Agriculture to the
President, TO November 10, 1895. The
Secretary says:
California fruits have made marked
gains in European markets during the
last year. This trade began three years
ago by a shipment on the White Star
Line, which consisted of pears, peaches,
plums and grapes. The sale of that in
voice at Covent Garden Market at
tracted public attention at the time,
and the prices were so remunerative as
to encourage further shipments. The
succeeding year, however, satisfactory
terms could not be made for railroad
and steamship transportation; conse-
Quently no shipments of California
fruits were made during those twelve
months to transatlantic markets.
But in the year 1884 the American
Steamship Company carried over quite
a number Of fruit invoices. The results
were satisfactory generally as to prices
and profits upon the pears and peaches,
while the traffic in grapes was not such
as to induce further shipments of that
fruit from the Pacific Coast.
A representative of the Department of
Agriculture during the past summer ait
tended the California fruit sales at Co.
vent Garden. From that attendance he
concludes that the California Fruit
Transportation Company has solved the
freight problem and that only the finest
quality Of fruit can be remuneratively
sent abroad; even then sound condition
and careful packing, and their arrival
at London between the 1st day Of July
and the last day of August, can alone
secure the best prices in competition
with English and continental growers.
During the year 1895 the first lot Of
California fruit arrived in London on
the 1st day of July. It met competing
fruits from Southern France, the Chan
mel Islands and Spain, together with fair
specimens of English products, in a very
propitious season. On that date fine
English hothouse peaches sold at Is
cents each, with fair to common quail
ties at to cents each. All of the Cali
foInia fruit arriving on the date men
toned above consisted of Bartlett pears
Tin England called the Williams pear)
and of peaches. They arrived in fine
condition and the Bartletts brought
from S5 to SO % per box OF 80 pounds,
and the peaches sold at an average Of
81 so per box Of % pounds. The pears
Tetailed at from 10 cents each and
the pears at from 6 TO - cents.
The second arrival in the same mar
l,et of California fruit was July 18th
At this date the pears brought from SO
to So so per box of fifty pounds and the
peaches and plums from 81 70 to 50
per box Of twenty-five pounds.
The third arrival was on August 1st,
when the peaches and pears command
ed about the same prices as in the pre-
vious shipments to the same market.
The fourth California fruit invoice
was received in London the middle of
August. It was an unusually large con-
signment and consisted of ten carloads.
Pears in this lot, in perfect condition,
sold as high as 81 80 per box. The
peaches brought only 81 to 81 so per
box
The fifth shipment of Pacific Slope
fruit arrived in London on the last day
of August. The late peaches were in
very fine condition and gave the best
satisfaction to dealers, but the prices
were not as good as expected, as they
ranged from 81 20 to 81 so a box, ac-
cording to quality. The pears ran from
81 30 to So per box.
The sixth shipment reached London
in the month of September, via South
ampton, where it was unIoaded from
the steamer Paris on Wednesday night
and placed on sale in CoVent Garden
market on Friday morning. Buyers
were eager to get hold of the late pears.
They were in great demand, because
of the satisfaction which the fruit of
the two previous shipments had given.
A large number of intending buyers
were gathered about the auctioneer. The
liveliest interest was displayed. The
fruits were divided into lots represent
ing different growers, one kind of fruit
IN each assortment. The boxes, made
of the lightest possible durable mate
rial, were labeled with the names of the
respective packers. The peach boxes
contained twenty-five pounds. Each
peach was wrapped in white paper,
single thickness, little heavier and
tougher than tissue paper. The plums
not wrapped singly, were in similar
boxes divided into small compartments
The pears were in fifty-pound boxes
and separately wrapped, though pears
in twenty FIVE pound boxes bring
much better price. Under this system
OF selling, the reputation of some grow
ers commanded special interest and
higher prices from buyers. Those who
desire to maintain a high standard of
excellence. and declins under any
temptation to send inferior fruits, and
who use the most scrupulous care in
packing, find their reward at last in
a reputation which commands en-
hanced prices for their products.
The average quality of the peaches
at this sale was very good. The Or
ange Clings seemed to be a favorite
while the late Crawfords In fairly good
condition and Strawberry peaches did
not seem to stand the transportation
well. The fruits from the hill counties
of California were in firmer and better
condition than those from the valleys
Among pears the Beurre Ciairgeau
and Hardys arrived in excellent order
and brought prime prices, while some
Bon Chretiens were also highly appre-
ciated.
For a new branch of international
commerce-one requiring great care
and perfection in shiPssaents-the ex-
portation Of California fruits 10 Lon
den den has been quite as successful as
could have been expected. The busi-
ness is in its infancy. and has, if prop
e1ly managed, a profitable future. Ship
pers must remember that there is al
ways a market in London for. such lux
uries; that no fruit should be sent there
except when in perfect condition and
properly packed and that, generally,
prices will be more remunerative for
early fruits. However, shipments were
TO arrive in London in September and
october Of this year, and it is possible
that they viii show better prices than
some Of the others, because they will
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