The record-union., 1899-08-23
FRUIT SHIPPERS MISTAKES.
sPoILING THE MARKET WITH
POOR STUFF.
Because the Season Opened Well
for Good Fruit They Threw
in Everything.

w B. Gester, the Newcastle fruit
man, who has been appointed to repre-
sent the State Board of Horticulture
at the Pan-American Exposition At
Buffalo N. Y, next year, and who IS
now in that city, has, according TO
promise, written to the Secretary of the
board, B. NJ. Lelong, the result of his
observations respecting the shipping or
deciduous fruit to Eastern markets.
| Mr. Gesters letter should be of ex-
ceeding interest to growers throughput
the State, and through the courtesy OF
Mr.. Lelong that portion referring to
the shipping situation is given Ia full
as follows:
Buffalo IN. ", Aug. 10, 1899.
B. M. Lelong, Sacramento CaL-Dear
Lelong: Writing you three or four days
ago, 1 promised to advise you as to
how matters and things relating to
California were here in the East. or
course, the only line Of California
goods coming this way now in quantity
is that comprised of deciduous fruits
| in boxes. At the opening of the sea-
| son prospects for the California grower
and shipper could not have been roster
/
tricts had been ruined in places, and
badly hurt everywhere. 1t appeared as
though Californians would be able to
sell their entire crop at good prices
ard without difficulty.
There is no doubt in my mind this
would have occurred but for the fact
that our people pressed their luck too
far. They took it for granted that
because good standard peaches would
sell here for from $1.2O to S1.4O per
box they were safe in boxing up and
sending culls that We're fit for the dry
yards only. A few cars of these would
have made little difference, but Califor-
mans are noted for doing nothing by
halves. They sent immense quantities
| of peaches that l know no buyer for a
cannery would take. They sent so
much that the markets were glutted
| Gust think Of it, such a season, too),
with the result that everything-good
bad and ndifferent-slumped.
My opinion is that the markets wilt
| hardly recover this season. In the
course of two weeks more what CraW-
| fords there are here will begin going
to market. Local grapes, Niagaras and
Moore's Early, are already in market.
The peaches will be high, comparative
| ly speaking, but low enough to hold
| Californias from reaching any very
high price. Niagara County in this
State will have about a quarter of a
million baskets to market early in Sep
| tember New Jersey will have many
more than was expected. New York
City and Philadelphia will also get n
supply from along the Blue Ridge In
| Pennsylvania. This particular market
| (Buffalo), only twenty or thirty miles
| from the peach orchards in Niagara
County and along Lake Ontario, will
be literally supplied.
Apples are already showing them
selves in quantity. The apples and
| the grapes will be so cheap that all
fruit prices will be kept at a compare
lively low level. Fall and winter aD-
| pies will sell at about S1.50 or S1.20
per three-bushel barrel Q50 pounds).
''It is hardly late enough to figure on
chances for dried fruits here. Some
| little investigation leads me to believe
that the market for such things in Buf
| falo is not a particularly good one. i
| have come to the conclusion that the
time to make a venture in this line.
! and also in that of California wines.
will be at the time Of the Pan-Ameri-
can Exposition, taking advantage Of
| the crowds and also of the exhibits.
IL WILLIAM B. GESTER.