Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-23
AMERICAN FRUITS.
Consul Goldschmidt Reports Agitation
Against Them

Consul Goldschmidt OF Nantes. France.
reports to the Department OF Commerce
and Labor that an agitation has been
started to secure the passage OF a law to
prohibit the important ton OF American dried
and fresh fruits. plants, shrubs. etc, upon
the ground that sucn importations are likely
to introduce the San Jose scale. The mat
ter has been taken up by chambers or COM
merce at Glearmont. Ferrand Anglers and
other places. and the newspapers are advo-
eating an exclusion law. For the year end
ing June 80. 1905. there was imported into
Anglers from the United States plants to the
value Of $79Oi3 and seeds $o2976. The con-
sui quotes a leading importer as saying:
To-day American dried fruits (prunes and
apricots) are very well received by the
French consumer. particularly those prunes
coming from the Santa Clara valley. The
American way OF packing Is also desired.
when It is well done, and the goods are put
UP in boxes containing 121s Kilograms net or
fruit with lace paper or fancy paper on
top Of the fruit. But many complaints are
heard concerning boxes which are too weak
and cause breakage, which frequently spons
or damages the contents. This is one OF
the points to which packers should pay
particular attention. as carelessness in
packing causes prejudice to the goods.
1.-THE prunes from California can be much
better preserved than the French prunes.
and the Americans seem to have reached
perfection In that line as the fruits II prop
erly handled may be kept longer than our
products 1t is particularly the larger sizes
that are desirable and sell readily. Those
of thirty to forty to the pound up to sixty
to seventy to the pound are what is wanted
here. The smaller ones do not sell readily
here. 80
'Importations of American prunes into
France Is only possible when the native
crop Is poor or very small, as under condi-
tons Of equality in price the French prune
is preferred. which seems to have a better
taste and contains more meat and a smaller
kernel. However. the California prune Is
popular here and will sell readily each
time that the crop in France falls below a
certain amount.
Concerning the repacking Of American
prunes into French receptacles the same
gentleman said:
'Some three or four years ago, when the
prune crop here was a complete failure. the
country producing these prunes-Agen-
tried to import prunes from California in
barrels and boxes, and afterward repacked
them in the French manner. which per-
mitted the raising Of prices But the con-
sumner soon perceived the fraud. and today
1t is impossible to repeat this, as the con-
sumner. who Is accustomed to California
prunes, wants them in their original boxes
The American dried apricot has obtained a
good foothold here. and meets with no COM
petition worth mentioning"
Commenting on the foregoing Consul
Goldschmidt says: II believe there Is no Sc
rious reason for this agitation against
American fruits. and against dried fruit in
particular. and 1t seems apparent that tho
main reason In view by the agitators is not
only to discredit our fruits (since there Is
no serious importation when the crops are
good here), but also to damage their rep
utation elsewhere with the hope. possibly,
to drive our fruit out OF other markets.
where the French fruit may replace It, The
resolution by the chamber Of commerce at
Clermond Ferrand contains an allusion to
Switzerland which clearly indicates such a
hope. With these facts in mind Il should
be easy to circumvent any attempts at in
juring our commerce in such an unfair
way"