The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-15
EXPORTS or FRUITS AND NUTS.
I'm the Last 10 Wears They Have Increased
$40 Per Cent. TO az 8 OOO.


WASHINGTON. july 14.-Fruits and nuts
OF domestic production are supplying a
rapidly increasing share of American con-
sumption OF those classes Of commodities.
and in certain articles. notably r~aisins.
prunes and oranges the home product
has practically excluded that of foreign
origin. A compilation recently made by
the bureau Of statistics Of the Department
Of. Commerce and Labor strikingly illus
trates the improved position Of the United
States during the last twenty years with
reference to it's ability to supply home
demand for fruits and nuts.
Twenty years ago the i~mportations Of
fruits and nuts amounted in value 10 20 %
million dollars. while domestic expectations
thereof we're hut 2 2-3 millions, purchases
OF the foreign product being thus over
seven times as much as sales TO foreign
countries. In the fiscal year Just ended i'm
portatiops we're about IS millions and ex-
portations TX millions, American sales
abroad Of home produced fruits and nuts
being thus practically one-half as much a.
purchases OF the foreign product. In the
period from 1887 to 1907 imports Of fruits
and nuts have Increased but ~ per cent.
while exports OF the domestic product ave
increased about $40 per cent.
The growth In i~mportations of fruits and
MUS mas DetD COU1neu 10 u lew lines IN
which local production has not been sufi-
cient TO meet home consumption. such az
bananas, figs and other preserved fruits,
wainuts, ~cocoanuts and almonds. Nearly
all other articles show decreased importa-
tons during the period under review. Ba-
nanas have advanced from 2 2-S million
dollars in 1887 to approximately IL million
dollars in 1907; figs and preserved fruits.
from "a millions to nearly 4 millions; cocoa
nuts, from $40 thousand dollars to l Is
millions; almonds, from less than 900 thou
sand dollars to about 2 Is millions: and all
other nuts Chiefly walnuts) from a little
less than 700 Thousand dollars TO practi-
cally 9 million dollars. Of which latter sum
fully 3 million dollars represented the value
OF walnuts imported.
On the other han im~portations of oranges
have decreased from a little less thar 81
million dollars in 1887 to 100 thousand dol
lars in 1901; raisins from ~ million dollars
TO less than 400 thousand dollars; and prunes
from practically 3 million dollars to less
than 50 thousand dollars: while lemons
have remained practically stationary at
4 million dollars during ne twenty year
period, the figures indicating in each case
that the greatly enlar ged consumption since
1887 has been fully met by domestic pro-
duction.
The growth in exports Of domestic fruits
extends to practically every class enumer-
ated in the schedules Of Our foreign trade.
In 1887 apples was the onlv item whose
eApOTtSe ACeeueQ lWllllOn OOllure, the value
of this commodity 81 1872 ,S72) contributing
considerably more than one-half of the
annual sales abroad. In the year lust
ended the items whose exports exceeded
each 81 900 900 included dried apples, apples
green or ripe, preserved fruits, oranges,
prunes and other fruits, included in which
may be mentioned peaches and pears to
the value OF 300 thousand dollars, raisins
200 thousand. and miscellaneous fruits over
2 million dollars
Meantime nuts have made their appear
nee in the list Of exported articles, and for
the fiscal veal 1907 their total was about
$500 600, three-fourths of which was pea
nuts. Exports of dried apples grew from
S413, 1888 in 1887 to about 81, 100 900 in 1907;
apples, green or ripe, from 81 ,382 ,S72 10 81
zoo, COO: preserved fruits from $3.50 ,2s3 to
81 zoe. 900; and all other fruits, not separ-
ately classified in 1887. from $685., f47 in that
year to 81, 800, 900 in 1907.
The changed position Of the United States
in relation to its dependence upon foreign
countries for fruits is clearly illustrated
by a comparison Of the imports and en-
ports Of certain representative commodi-
ties. OF oranges the United States imported
in 1897 practically ~ million dollars worth,
while the exports, II any, we're not OF sufh-
cient Importance to warrant separate enum-
GRAFTON. In 1907 imports had decreased 10
s400, 900 and exports increased to 81 300, 900.
Prunes in 1887 were imported to the value
Of 81, 900, Gas, while exports were nil; in 1907
imports were less than $50, 900, while exports
had risen to 81, 4OO, 900. Raisins in 1887
a net importation of practically
, million dollars, while in 1907 they showed
a net expectation OF over half a million
dollars.