The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-07-05
HAD RATSTNS LEFT.
California Growers Didn't Sell AL
the Crop.


New York. July 5.-The Journal or
Commerce says: Theodore NJ. Kearney,
president Of the California Raisin Grow
ers' association. sailed on the French
line steamer La Champagne for Europe
to seek the benefits of the baths at
Homburg. He expects to return about
the middle of August. Before sailing he
gave the following information regard
ing the plans of his association, the
supply OF raislns and the prospective
demand:
I'VE had a large crop of raisins last
Year and did not succeed IN selling the
whole Of the crop. When the holiday
trade was over we had 1880 carloads
unsold, out of the four thousand car
loads raised This year there is Of all
sorts about BOG cars for the trade to
take over. To sum it up, the carry-oyer
will all be cleaned I'D before the new
crop comes in.
There has been some talk about the
raisin association and Drune associa-
ton not being legally strong. Several
suits were brought by the prune associ-
alton people and the courts decided
against them. There has been none
brought by the raisin growers associa-
ton that we have lost because we UNI
derstand the contract better than the
prune people and have therefore con-
Quoted our legal affairs in more sue
cessful manner. But the idea has gone
abroad that the growers are not bound
by the arrangement, the prune associa-
ton contracts being the same as the
ralsin contract. and we have deter
mined to get I'D new arrangement,
and we are now asking our growers to
sign leases. Every grower must lease
his property to the association.
The papers have now been prepared
and we have Incorporated under the
laws of New Jersey instead of under
the laws of California and within the
next sixty days I expect to have the
crop secured BY lease. In fact. under
the new arrangement the association
will be the producer and the grower
Will simply be an employee. The as
ISOLATION will be the owner of the crop.
We are now making a canvass for sig
natures to these papers and on Septem-
Der 1 believe all will have signed.
Last year there was an exception
ally large crop, owing to the very un-
usually dry weather. The season was
SO favorable that nearly every grower
cured his crop instead Of selling any
to the wineries. don't look Tor an
other such crop again for many years.
The winery people are short of Muscat
wine. and as they could get no grapes
to- make Muscat brandy, the price of
that brandy mas doubled in the last
three months. They have been run
ming from stocks of previous years, as
we have turned all our grapes into
raisins instead of selling a portion to
the wineries for brandy and wine pur-
poses. This year, however, there is a
great shortage in the wine crop of the
state, owing to froStS. The result VIII
be that very few SuItana or Thompson
seedleSs will be turned into raisins, as
the crop can be used for wine purposes
and will command high prices
II expect liberal offers for some Of
our Muscate1 crop of grapes from the
wineries. This Will also reduce the
quantity that can be made into raisins
the coming season. I think therefore
that there will be only a moderate
crop of raisins to be made this year.
This years crop has been considerably
hurt by frosts last spring, so that the
yield will not be any more than an
average one this season.