The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-01-23

market. 1t has not displaced the Ba-
hama pine. 1t is a tenderer fruit than
the Bahama pine. 1t is less acid. Its
flavor we think is better, though the
fact remains that great many people
prefer the flavor of the Bahama pine.
But the Bahama pine has never been
table fruit. / mean by that that it
is not served on the tables of the aver
age public in the same way that
canned peaches, pears, and apricots
are. It's greatest use is in the making
of glazed fruits, and as a fruit for use
at bars. The Hawaiian canned pine
apples being softer, when served on
the table as canned fruit, can be eat
en- more readily with fork or with
a spoon; it has no woody residue, and
hence is making it's way as a table
fruit.
DEVELOPING A MARKET. :.
1.-The Hawaiian pack has grown from
say 5000 cases four or five years ago
to $4,000 cases in 1907, probably $4,000
cases in 1908, and an expectation of
100000 or 100000 cases in 1909. The
question is will the market continue
to increase in anything like that ratio?
1t is a reasonable question. Our house
is the only concern that has system
atically undertaken to create market
for the Hawaiian canned pineapple.
The earlier pack of the islands was
consigned to San Francisco, New
York, and perhaps other places, and as
warehouse and insurance charges piled
up against it and the demand from
banks or others who had made ad-
vances became more imperative, it
was sold for whatever it would bring.
Hunt Bros. Company undertook to
create a market 1t is in the business
of selling canned California fruits to
wholesale grocers all over the United
States and in other countries Most of
the goods we handle are of a high
quality. We were in a position to bill
quantity of the Hawaiian canned
pines to our customers in various parts
of the country, writing them what
they cost and asking them to do the
best they could with them. They sold
them to their customers through their
travelling statesmen, and in addition we
| have statesmen in the east who work
| in conjunction with the statesmen Of
our customers in Introducing new va
rieties of goods. In no case were any
| of these shipments returned, and in
most cases additional orders were re-
ceived. We had one of our statesmen
out here during the last packing sea-
son fn order that he might know at
first hand all about the goods. In
this and other ways we have spent
money to create a market
PACKERS MUST UNITE.
"Other packers have been able to
dispose of their pack, carried along by
the general ability of the market to
| absorb the increase of output. But
whether it will continue to do so or
not, is not sure, and / doubt if 1t will.
Our own increase in output has been
from 1900 cases to nearly 100000 cases,
which is a little more rapidly than
the output as a whole has Increased,
though not such a great deal. My own
opinion is that it will not be long be-
fore the packers will all have to unite
in systematic methods for developing
and increasing the market.
During the past season we sent
about 5000 cases to England. Liverpool
and London are the greatest distrib-
uting centers of the canned fruit out
put in the world. Great Britain takes
about 100000 cases of Singapore pine
apples annually. They are nominally
the same size as our cans, but in real
ity a trif1e larger. They sell at from
four shillings to four shillfngs SIX
) pence. We sold ours at eight shil-
lings, and part of them at eight shil-
lings six pence. With such differ
ence in price, even admitting that oul
: pines are much the better, the increase
in sale in England must necessarily be
: slow.
MARKET FOR GREEN PINES
Now as to the market for greer
pineapples We have made it a point
to ship green pineapples by every mai
steamer-the Pacific Mail as well az
the Alameda and the Hilonian, in or
der that we might keep the commits
sion merchants to whom we consigned
supplied, and create a steady market
We shipped during the canning season
as well as between seasons, although
during the canning season the advan
tage would have been in canning them
Sometimes we did very well, and some
times not so we'll On the average per
= haps we did as well as if we hat
I canned them. What green pineapple
Y need is a we'll ventilated place during
: transportation. The deck would be a.
n ideal place if it were not for the dan
O ger of getting wet. They will no
n stand wet They must be kept dry
: They will not stand refrigeration. The
6 turn black when taken out. Improve
y -ment in ventilation viii improve tn
= business of shipping green pineapple'
III OVERSTOCKING THE MARKET.
It "You ask me if there is danger c
re over-stocking the pineapple market.
n say there is possibility. There is g
n present pretty fair margin of prof
l. in the industry. Any business tina
1t presents a good margin of profit is
n danger Of overstocking the market.
1T think the real test will come abot
~ 1909. The anticipated crop of that yea
n will be from 100000 to 100000 case
De That is four times the crop of 100
rs and twice that of 1908. 1t seems hare
ar ly pos; ble that the market can kee
l. on indefinitely absorbing a produ