Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-08-18
SALEM FRUIT UNION
SECURES BIG PRICES
Strawberries a Profitable
Crop---ls Shipping Green
Prunes East

That Strawberries are a profitable
crop when marketed under favorable
conditions is known by figures given
out this morning by Robert Paulus of
the Salem Fruit Union.
Although many growers not members
of the union failed to get satisfactory
prices for their strawberries this sea-
son, they have only themselves to
blame. Instances have been numerous
in which growers have sold berries to
grocers and other dealers at from 20
to so cents crate, when the demand
was such as to warrant a much higher
price. In fact, grocers have brought
berries to the union for which they
paid these prices and have received
prices yielding them more tnan hun
dred per cent on the investment.
The following figures showing the
net prices paid to union members for
Strawberries on certain dates should
prove interesting reading to straw
berry growers:
May %, $2.04 per crate; May 90,
$l.62; May 81, $1,60; June l. $l.5s;
June =, $l.16; June 3, $l.60; June ),
$l.57; June 6, $l.l5 for faced, 81 for
unfaced; June :, $1.24 for faced, $1.09
for unfaced; June s, Sl.34 and $l.19;
June 9, $l.3l and $l.1G; June II. $1.35
for faced berries; June -, $l.29 and
$l,l4; June 13, Slip for unfaced ber-
res
Mr.. Paulus states that had the union
been able to buy berries in sufficient
quantities to ship in ear load lots these
prices would have been greater.
In commenting ON the present mark
ct for fresh prunes, Mr.. Paulus says
that a deal mas been closed by the
union for the shipment of a consider
able quantity of the article to eastern
buyers. The price is such as to guar
antee the growers $3.50 per car of 1000
crates The fruit is sold by the union
TO fruit company in Sacramento, Cal
ifornia.
The union has made many sales of
green prunes during the past few years.
Sixty carloads were disposed of in
1909 at net profit to the growers of
ID cents more bushel than was SHOWN
by the dried product. But the dried
prune market is affected very little by
any demand that has arisen, or is like
! ly to arise, for the green fruit. One
ear will hold approximately as much
of the dried product as five will hold
of the green.
The failure of the prune crop in
Idaho mas been largely instrumental in
creating the present market:
made that most of the trains passing
| through have been hitting it up at the
rate of 20 miles an hour and even fast
er The superintendent also writes
Mr. Macy that the surfacing at the
crossings of State, Court and Center
would be attended to at once. These
crossings have been pretty rough a'
the bricks have been forced up above
the level of the street as a result OF
the SHOWS and freezings of last win
ter.
On account of the Cherrian dance
last evening, members of the tourist
publicity and convention department
of the Commercial club, Benjamin
Brick director, did not meet to con
slider sending a maid 10 represent Sa
lem at the Astoria regatta September
to T. Mr.. Brick is of the opinion
Salem should accept the invitation o.
Astoria and send a representative tina
would be credit to the city.
Express companies announce that al
shipments to the American Red Cros
supply districts for the use of soldiers
on the Mexican border, will be mad,
at two thirds the rgular rate. From
the regular Red Cross districts, ship