The record-union., 1897-02-02

/ NtSN ~ AcOo. II SifOulu pt u
felony to misrepresent the packer of
these commodities. Each package
| should bear the name and address of the
packer, his agent, and where the prod
/ uct packed was grown. No State has
suffered more by Misrepresentation in
| this respect than California
| THE FRESH FRUIT BUSINESS FOR
1896
As referred to in our review of the
season, the unfavorable spring weather
| proved disastrous to a very large pro-
portion of our early fruits, and ship
ments promised to be light. But as the
| season advanced it was found that
! later maturing fruit increased in ou,-
| put, but not sufficient to overcome the
| deficit caused by injury to early fruits
and the results We're not as satisfactory
| as in former years.
A reduced tonnage under ordinary
| circumstances should have and would
nave produced a greater demand an1
correspondingly a better market and
returns for our products. But in this
| the fruit growers We're again diSap
| pointed in that an abnormally large
crop Of the locally grown fruits of the
Eastern States. such as peaches.
grapes, apples and pears, which to g
large extent took the place of our fruits
IN those localities. This, coupled with
the scarcity of spending money caused
| by the enforced idlenesS of the labor
ing classes consequent on the paralyZ-
ing effect commercially OF a great and
active national political campaign, ali
tended to depression of prices.
The season of 1896 in the northern
section of the State opened with the
shipment of ripe cherries in the begin
ming Of the month of May and contin-
ued uninterruptedly throughout the
gamut of deciduous fruits, comprising
such leading varieties as cherries, april
cots. plums, peaches. prunes, nectar
ines, grapes, apples, pears, ounces. etc.
Shipments continued in carload lots
well on to the close of the year, the
last shipment of grapes being sent for
word hv the Earl Fruit Company as
late as December 4th, so that for the
past year the deciduous fruit season
comprised in its shipment and market
ing period of seven months.
Conditions Of planting are such that
the so-called northern section of the
State devOtes itself more particularly
to the cultivation of what are known -
the deciduous fruits, with constantly
enlarging areas of citrus fruits. while
the southern portion of the State d.
votes itself more largely to the cultiva-
tion of the citrus fruits-oranges, lem
ons, etc. So marked and distinct are
these conditions that the Leading fruit
shipping houses ma aintain complete es-
adjustments in both ends of the State,
though virtually transacting half
years business in each. Thus estab-
lishments are maintained at Sacra-
mentO for the northern or deciduous
business, and at Los Angeles for the
southern or citrus business, with their
branches surrounding each of the To-
calities named within their respective
seasons.
The marketing of citrss fruits begins,
in November and continues more or
less actively for the period remaining
between that time and the marketing
before noted of deciduous fruits. II
may therefore be safely said that di-
viding the year into periods seven
months are devoted to the harvesting
and marketing of deciduOus fruits and
five months to the citrus fruits. In
<
conditions there was a slight falling
off in the California orange crop Of
1S95-96 as compared with the previous
season. The citrus fruit shipment for
1895 aggregated II, ,5S2.5 cars, being the
largest crop Of this character of fruit
vet rarketed in the State The figures
for 1896 are not available at this writ
ing but viii be pubtised III our statis-
this volume.
During the year 1896 the marketing
of deciduous fruits was greatly facili-
tated by the Fruit Growers and Ship
pers' Association, having headquarters
at Sacramento. This organization has
for its purpose the supplying of infor-
nation as 10 the shipment and move
ment of the various California frut!s
in carload lots, and is virtually a pu-
reau Of information only seeking to
serve that purpose and none other 1t
IS not commercially concerned in the
output or movement of the fruit it
records. With it's assistance accurate
information is Obtainable of the daily
quantities and destination of shipments
throughout the active season. The rec
ord lacks completeness as to the whole |
only to the extent that full information
IS not supplied by non-members or |
patrons The percentage upon which |
this organization is able TO report is |
however, so large that it is sufficient to
very nearly make a complete statistical
showing. and its work is certainly ap-
preciated by those best capable of |
Judging it's merit and worth. From |
the source mentioned we are enabled |
to present the following comparative |
statements.
The destination and number of cars |
of deciduous fruits shipped to each |
place during 1896, as compared with |
the previous year, was as follows:
1895. 1896 |
Chicago ....... ........ / ,4l3 1,O0i |
New York. >. :. :. SG2 ,0J5 !
Boston. =. ...... ..... 30 Al |
Philadelphia 80. 81 80 /
Minneapolis >. :. 124 HI |
Baltimore 81 - |
Cincinnati =. .... II , |
Kansas City =. .... 81 81 /
New Orleans ...-..... :. - 80 |
N Ontreal II 81 /
Denver ........ lao 11b |
st. Louis IS bS !
St. Paul :. :. :. .. 100 81 |
Omaha >. ...... :. 116 s.
Cleveland ~ ~
I1ttSburg 70 -
Buffalo II
Milwaukee a. o.
Other points ....... S63 569