The record-union., 1897-02-02

!
| bles show total exports of dairy pro-
ducts.
OUR FRUIT INTEREST.
1t should be quite evident at this
| time to the average fruit grower that
/ he must possess other qualities than
the knowledge of fruit growing to OBJ
/ tain satisfactory results from his labor.
| The back-set received by the fruit
growers in general during the
past few years by reason
! of nom -remuunerative returns, as
rule. is mainly due to lack of bust
ness methods in the prosecution of
| his work. He produces the fruit prop
erly enough, upon which much study
has been given to the exclusion of
most important question, that of mar
keting.
| The manufacturer of almost any arti-
Gle OF commerce gives much of his at
| tentlon to the disposition of his out
! put before it is manufactured. In
other words, he studies the market and
! meets it Why should not the fruit
grower do his business in a like sys-
tematic manner? Under the present
system it is the bright quick and en-
! ergetlc commission man that keeps
posted and handles the growers prod
uct in the market, and his expenses in
| many cases cover the entire amount
| OF the sale, which is a forced one, and
the commission mans chief aim is to
get his money just as quick as pOssi-
Die, regardless of the outcome to the
grower. Thus does this individual sip
the honey, and after a little while fits
away to pastures new with a neat for
tune amassed through the credulity of
the grower.
1t is time the California fruit grower
aWoke to the situation and take cogni-
zance of methods used by other pro-
ducers. Let them organize in their re-
spective localities and properly prepare
the fruit of that section for shipment,
ana then have a general organization
which should only look after the sales
in the green. canned or dried state.
Force legitimate trade in this product
or stop producing it and get into some
other business, otherwise in a few years
natural consequences will result in
complete failure Of all 50 engaged. Abol-
ish Eastern shipments on consignments,
and in the meantime can or dry a suf-
hclent percentage of the crop for one
year to pay expenses or feed it to the
hogS-anything to bring about reorgan-
ization Of business methods in the mar
ketlng of our fruit crop. We must not
doubt that this can be done by a gen
eral movement. There are TOO many
individuals thoroughly established
throughout these United States that
are making a living handling our fruit.
Consumers are now demanding the bet
ter duality of California products, and
those same individuals will find it nee
essary to adopt new methods and pur
chase our fruits f o. b. We find from
personal observation where growers
are packing and shipping their own
products with their home brand upon
them the best returns are received.
There is upon the market in this
State a superior canned vegetable-the
string bean-that is packed by the
grower, Fl. Wambold of Lake County,
and in answer TO an inquiry from this
office wrote that he had a piece Of
land that seemed to be better adapted
to the production Of string beans than
any other vegetable, and this same land
had grown the crop for twenty con-
secutive years, the yield from the first
being so large. the home or local mar
from the railroad for shipping to the
San Francisco market, he was forced
as a last resort to pack the vegetable
and by strict attention to every de-
tail he soon built reputation for his
canned beans that his yearly output is
easily disposed of at good profit.
This business is but one Of the ad-
juncts of the farm, and shows what
can be done by proper methods. We
simply refer to this as an incident to
the subject in hand. Meet the con-
sumner with a pure article and ready
sale will follow. 1t may be claimed
that should our. entire crop be devoted
to this proposed method the mar
ket would break Not SO, for the
reason that we could extend the use
Of our products by selling at a lower
rate, and then make better terms than
are now received, as the two to three
profits Of middle men could be saved
Take, for example, the improved
methods of the raisin grower. His
product is now put up in neat packages
of seeded fruit that are sold as a con-
fection, thereby extending rather than
curtailing the market.
Until new methods of handling our
fruit crop are devised we think farther |
extension in tree planting unwise, as
there are so many other resources of |
our State that invite investment at
this particular time that will prove |
more profitable in a much shorter peri |
Cd Of time.
Our tables of shipments for 1895 show |
the total value to be &23 S29. $50, an in |
crease in value over 1894 due princi- |
pally to a large increase in citrus fruit |
shipments, and an increase of One-half |
a cent per pound on raisins and > |
cents on waInuts over the prices of |
1894 (Our tables for 1896 are not |
completed at this writing, but will be
ready before the publica ton of our en-
tire world.
The closing months of 1896 showed a |
very favorable situation for our canned |
fruits and it is firmly believed by all |
concerned that before our next pack |
is ready the stocks of 1896 will be |
entirely cleaned up.
Our pack for 1886 aggregated nearly |
1,300, 900 cases, two-thirds of which |
We're sold at an advance of ; cents per
case over opening prices. The early |
sales were Principally for the English |
trade and brought low prices The
outlook for packers was never better,
and the fruit grower may rejoice there
at, as the cannery is an essential ad-
junct to his business.
1t is to be regretted that the same
condition does not exist in the dried 7
fruit market The reason is too plain.
The despicable consignment method is
the cause thereof, and the broker is