The record-union., 1897-10-28

anu lL<AL VIII serve IneIn as SuUJSCl
10 talk about for many years to come.
Repeatedly the expression was heard
that the exhibit was the handsomest
and the fruits the finest they had ever
seen. AS an attraction, therefore, and
as an educator of foreigners in our prod
ucts, we are justified in saying the ex-
hibit was a success.
COOKED FRUIT.
In connection with our stand for lit
erature, from which we distributed
gratuitously the literature we We're able
to print and such as we were able TO
secure bearing on California and its re-
sources, 1 put in an electric stove, and
daily cooked and gave away liberal
quantities of dried fruit. The fruit
was prepared and cooked according to
the most approved California methods,
and though the Germans as a people
are good cooks, and especially good
fruit cooks, they in most cases frankly
admitted the superiority of the fruit
as We prepared it, and accepted with
eagerness and appreciation the fruit
cooking recipes we handed them with
each sample of the cooked fruit. The
same interest in our cooking stand and
methods of preparing dried fruit for the
table was manifested by the people
across the water that has been shown
by the people of our own country wher-
ever we have put this work before
them, and there, as here a sample
taste and a recipe were generally fol-
lowed by a purchase and an experiment
tai effort to cook the fruit as the little
recipe-book directed. / was told by
gentleman who is in the California
fruit trade that the retailers, who yet
had some of our dried fruit on hand,
raised the price on it 10 pfennigs (2l2
cents) per pound soon after we started
our cooking-booth by reason of the ex-
ira demand
But it is not alone because the visit
ors to the exposition praised and ad-
mired California's exhibit, not because
they liked our cooked fruits, not be-
cause they read with avidity our liter
ature, that the work in Hamburg is a
success; but more particularly because
it excited the interest of the importers
and the jobbers, the men who are con-
cerned commercially in pushing and
extending the market for our products.
From these people we expect the great
est results will follow.
HAMBURG'S COMMERCIAL INPOR-
TANCE.
Hamburg is one of the greatest COM
mercial ports of the world, the greatest
on the European continent. 1t collects
and ships products from all Europe, and
to all parts of Europe it distributes the
goods that find landing there from all
quarters of the globe. In 1895, the
latest year for which 1 have the official
port trade reached the enormous value
of 81, $50, ,951 Ala, a decided increase
over the preceding year. At such a
trade center there is necessarily a great
deal of capital invested in the export
and import business. The men hand
ling this capital are by no means no.
vices in their line. AS they know the
supplies of the earth, so do they know
the market of Europe and its demands.
These men saw the California exhibit
at Hamburg and almost every one of
them interviewed on the subject predict
a great and growing demand for Cali
foEnia productsA particularly our dried
fruit, in Europe.
EAGER TO GET IN THE TRADE.
Their confidence in this regard was
manifested by their eagerness to get |
into the trade. 1t was no trouble to
find there good and strong and active
firms With established connections
throughout Europe not only willing but
anxious to take the agency for any re-
sponsible California exporter. Since
the season opened this spring several
new agencies for California have been
established there, and still 1 have the
names of at least a dozen good and re-
sponsible Hamburg houses who want to
get into business with US; who want to
represent some firm or association in
California who will ship on their order
such products of this State as they
feel confident they can dispose of. The
demand for California agencies in Ham
burg seems to be greater than the trade
can supply.
This, in brief, is the situation. The
exhibit was as We have described it
and the interest taken in it and ex-
cited by it was as we have stated. To
predict results is unnecessary. No
man can look into the future. We
can only draw conclusions from facts
as they exist and conditions as we find
them. The reader, therefore, being
made acquainted with the facts and the
conditions as heretofore set forth. will
be able to draw his own conclusions.
While in my mind there is no doubt
but the display made by California in
Hamburg viii result in greatly stim-
ulating the demand in Germany for
such of our products as form the most
conspicuous part of the exhibit which
l viii designate more particularly
further on, and while 1 believe a little
additional missionary effort would
spread this demand throughout North
ern and Central Europe, yet L am con-
WINGED from my observations of the sit
uatiOn here and abroad that there is a
work yet to be done on the part Of Cal
ifornians before they can reap the full
benefit of the market which Europe af-
fords. In dealing with the Europeans
we must be honest; we must so sort,
pack and brand our goods that there
can be no possible room for deception.
They must have full measure an hon
est pack and goods that are chemic-
ally pure and true to sample Any
Californian who would impose on the
European market a single box of goods |
that does not fill these conditions is an
enemy to his State and should be re-
garded as such With this rule of hon !
esty established, the growers should |
band together IN demanding such price |
for their products as will insure them a |
fair rar1Tne7.a tion