The record-union., 1896-10-19
WHAT TO Do With FRUIT.
A Very Important Matter to Growers in
This State.
What q Californian Said to the Re.
porter of a New York
Paper.

The marketing Of the immense and
rapidly increasing fruit crops OF Cali
fornia is matter of vital Importance
to the growers of that State, The man
ager of one of the largest fruit -produc
ing companies of the Pacific slope when
asked about this subject by Tribune"
reporter the other day. said
California is capable of supplying
the markets of the world with most
kinds of fruit. Her yield is simply
enormous and is increasing so fast that
there is considerable apprehension as to
how crops can be advantageously dis
posed Of In the future. The variety of
California fruit is also wonderfully
great, as it includes oranges, lemons,
pears, peaches, apricots and grapes
Iii 1885 the entire output Of California
fresh or green fruits was less than
25,OOO.OOO pounds. The output this
year will probably be about 100000, 900
pounds. Besides the fresh fruit output,
there is the dried and canned product,
which will not be less than 100000, 900
and may reach 40O.000,000 pounds.
TT is commonly supposed that the
canning and drying Of fruits is the best
way Of disposing Of the immense crops,
but while it is an effective factor it is
not everything. California canned
fruits are delicious, but the mass of the
people cannot afford to consume them
extensively. AS the product increases,
however, the cost may be reduced so
as to bring the articles within the reach
of most consumers.
California fruits are distributed
throughout this country in refrigerator
cars, each Of which carries from 10000
to 25.OOO pounds. The fruits that come
to New York are usually about ten
days on the road When the season is
at its hight the weekly receipts in this
city amount to from 90 to 100 carloads
Special trains are sometimes run to
carry fruit designed for export, These
trains are so timed that they will ar
rive here just before the sailing of
transatlantic steamships. The Ameri
can and White Star steamship lines
have incurred great expense in provid
ing refrigerating compartments for the
transportation of California fruits, but
up to the present time the business has
been improbable to the shippers. De-
termined men with practically unlim-
tied capital are behind the export busi-
ness, however, and they appear to feel
confident that ultimately it will be
| made profitable despite the prolific
| transatlantic fruit crops with which
| they have to compete.
| There are from 100000 to 500, 1000
acres Of land under fruit cultivation in
| California About two-thirds of the
trees are in bearing. Other trees are
constantly being planted and, Of course,
the number Of bearing trees is steadily
| increasing. The product is increasing
faster than the population of the coun-
| try, but the consumption of fruit is be-
coming more general and when 1t is
cheap and times are good the demand
will probably more closely approximate
| the supply.
| The growers must rely upon wider
distribution Of their crops in home
markets. In order to make such dis
tribution single carloads of fruit must
| be sent to small cities and large towns
where the use of fruit from elsewhere
has been limited. In this way consump-
ton can be greatly stimulated"