The herald., 1898-02-03


the universal testimony of our consuls is
that our apples are so superior in every
respect that there is hardly market for
the German apples in their vicinity.
NOT SINCERE
The officials Of the agricultural depart
ment have as yet received no informa-
ton on the subject. They are disposed
to believe the explanation that importa-
tions of fresh fruit will be prohibited
because of danger from vermin is not
sincere one, but that Germany, hav-
ing in mind the recent legislation of the
American government imposing a duty
on bounty-paid sugar, has taken this
action as a sort of retaliation.
G. b. Bracket. chief of the pomologi-
cal division of the department, in dis
cussing the dispatch, said: 1T is sur
prising that any charge should be made
that California fruit is infested with
pests. The fruit from that state is the
freest from vermin of any in the whole
world. She has stringent laws against
the introduction of insect pests and dis
eases and has a corps of inspectors who
examine all nursery stock before it is
permitted to be imported. There is lit
tie or no ground for the assertion that
American fruit shipped abroad is un-
sanitary. The pests from which Amer
lean apples suffer are the larvae of the
Goblin moth, which is believed to pass
into worm and also apple maggots.
1.-The possibility of any harm from
these pests in apples shipped abroad is,
however, very remote, especially in the
case with Germany, because very few
of our apples which have been shipped
to Europe for the past twenty-five years
go to that country. Our fruit is not
inspected before it is exported, though
the natural assumption is that dealers
pick out the choicest before sending it
away, in order that the reputation may
be kept up.
"Apples is the only fresh fruit which
is shipped to Europe at this time of the
year. Peaches and oranges have been
sent mostly as an experiment, and they
go mainly to England. The growth OF
the shipment of apples abroad has beer
enormous in the last sixteen years. In
1S80-S1 the shipments amounted to
1925, 500 barrels, while in 1869 they ag-
gregated 2.919S4O barrels. OF this ag-
gregate 111.090 barrels, valued at 1918,
4S2, were shipped to Hamburg, the re-
naming number, with the exception of
approximately 100000 barrels, going to
English ports. OF course, 1t is likely
that some of the fruit which is sent to
England reaches Germany indirectly,
though there are no statistics on hand
to tell the amount. On the basis Of the
above indicated shipments to Hamburg
it is evident that the loss to America by
the prohibition of the importation, as
stated, would not be as great as if this
prohibition should apply to all Europe.
The fact Of this whole matter is that
we are the ones who should be protected,
for nearly all the insects in our fruits
have been imported from foreign coun-
tries"
HOUSE OPINIONS
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2.-The Berlin
cable announcing that Germany had
closed her ports against American
fruits attracted much attention among
members of the house of representa-
tives.
Mr. Hit, chairman of the committee
on foreign affairs, expressed surprise at
the step taken. particularly that it
should not have been preceded with no.
tice to our representative at Berlin.
Without discussing the motives of the
movement, Mr.. Hit said it was evident
that Germany based her course on sani-
tary grounds, which would exclude the
idea that the move was of political
and proscriptive character. Mr.. Hit
felt that our authorities would take steps
to learn whether any sanitary evil
i H. t,,;l TOD 10 t1n ~
the fruit crop in California, and if this
was established in the negative he had
no doubt courteous but firm repre-
sentation would be made to the German
government with view to showing that
their action had been taken without a
sufficient inquiry into the facts. He
expressed hope that this was not ster
in Germany's retaliatory policy which
had been referred to in recent utter
ances by distinguished German Off
Gals.
Other members of the house foreign
affairs committee expressed the view
that it was a part of Germany's retalia.
tory attitude toward the United States.
CALIFORNIA MEMBERS
Representative Barlow. who represents
the Sixth California district in which is
located the fertile San Joaquin valley
one of the great fruit districts of the
state, said that so far as California
fruit is concerned. the German decree
prohibiting the importation of Ameri-
can fruit is a mere preteXt.
California fruits" he said, "are sim
gularly free from vermn or disease OF
any kind. So jealous are our people in
their desire to keep our fruits free from
disease that the delegation from the
state is now advocating the passage of
a bill which was introduced in the house
by Mr.. Castle some time ago providing
for an inspection of all fruits, plants
cuttings, shrubs, etc, imported into this
country. l look upon the ground given
for DR.. Miguel's decree as a mere SUBJ
terfuge. No doubt exists in my mind
that it is purely a retaliatory measure. Il
'"The reason advanced by the German
foreign office said Representative Hill
born of California, "is the thinnest kind
of a pretext. Nowhere in the world is
fruit so free from Disease as in Cali
fornia and nowhere is there more care
taken to keep it free from disease of all