The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-05-09

no reason why exactly the same thing
OF $40.
So far the purely American dealer.
He was a typical German of the old
school, spoke no language but his own,
had not studied the progress made by
other countries, and when he had
American furniture evidently gave it
no proper show.
My impression on the whole is that
there exists an opening and a very good
enc, for American furniture provided
there is plenty of it to show and that
1t is properly shown. Another thing:
II must be cheap and at the same time
strong, for both these qualities are
greatly demanded in Germany. If to
cheapness and strength is added COM
fort, the last word has been said and
large sale is certain.
Let me now turn from furniture to a
particular branch of food supply, dried
fruits and canned goods. The general
question as to openings for good sup
plies from America has long occupied
the attention of our consular authori-
ties and others in Germany, and is at
the present time doubly interesting in
view of the recently declared determi-
nation to raise the tariff on grain ami
the uncertainty, becoming more acute
every day. as to whether the Caprivi
treaties that expires next year will be
renewed or not.
Meantime there is one direction in
which there seems still to be plenty Of
broom for expansion apart from tariff
or treaty questions, and that is the inn
port of dried fruits of all sorts. Ac-
cording to the principal importers in
| Berlin, 1.-The demand for American
i fruits is continually increasing, and it
rests with the American producer to
say whether or not the American pro-
/ duct shall control this market If the
/ American packer will label his goods
b in keeping with the contents of the cases
! then the American product will find a
| more ready sale.
| 1T is because of inaccurate labelling
/ or classifying that the German is fear
/ fu of buying American dried fruits.
The label may say fifty or sixty prunes,
| for example, to the pound and when
the German buyer weighs the fruit he
| finds it is sixty or seventy prunes to
the pound-evidently a different fruit
and a different classification"
! In the case of canned fruits, I am
assured, only the best qualities will sell
| in this country. The duty being the
same for the low grade as the high
| &, ade. the purchaser who can afford the
heavy duty (about quarter dollar the
| wo-pound TIM can also afford the diff
| ference in price between the low grade
and the high grade. The SALE however,
must be ardently pushed so that the
superiority of American fruits may be
| l.,
No doubt a great deal has been al
| ready been done toward this end. AS
Consul General Mason reports The
| popularity of American dried prunes,
| apricots. peaches and pears, as well as
evaporated apples and respberries has
| increased from year to year, by reason
both of their relative cheapness and
| their unrivalled flavor and excellence.
in California prunes arc rapidly sup
| planting the fine but expensive French
| product and the low grade Bosnian
prunes, and there is nothing that can
| compete successfully with the dried
| pears and peaches and evaporated APP
4 pes from the United States"
| Talking of American fruit with the
| importer referred to, 1t occurred to me
| to inquire how it was there was no inn
port of timed bananas into Germany.
II never heard of timed bananas"
| said the importer. and fresh bananas
1 would not bear the voyage. They are
7 cut in huge punches and by the time
they arrive here they would be dry and
| withered, as they would not have had
eonugh juice to take up from the stem
| they were attached to. Besides. they
| are not eaten here. The German do
not breakfast like an American or an
lEnglishman. He does not want a por-
| ridge of fruit for breakfast. He is sat
| isfed with his roll and coffee. In any
| case I don't see how an experiment
| would pay"
This. however. I maintain. ought not
W taken as conclusive. That bananas
ere timed know from another source.
and that being so I do not see why ths