Arizona republican., 1921-01-10

tried to supply markets within the state with citrus fruit. but we have secured very gratifying results for the first year. Last year we shipped two ! carloads of fruit within Arizona: this year we have marketed 12 carloads In the state
 The market within Phoenix, while we have endeavored to supply lt t0 some extent, has been only toucheu this year. and we look to a much bet ter result next season.
 Grapefruit in Demand
 'sThe grapefruit situation holds great encoura2ement. Two years ago 1t seemed an impossible problem to dispose of the rapidly increasing crop of valley fruit, especially as this or ganization had a very limited capital to apply to advertising and there seemed to be no eager disposition on the part of a sufficient number of growers to support it in its endeavor to make a market for local grapefruit. Consequently. the fruit had to be used as its own advertiser. an expensive necessity. but one which has borne re- suits this year and will pay larger dividends fin the years to come.
 Los Angeles was captured after short siege and San Francisco like wise. This year we found that Port lduu dAEO was lGdhN lO dGttDl AIlLOllc grapefruit and to turn Florida out of the market. At the same time. we realized that we did not have fruit enough to hold this additional terri tory. so it had to be abandoned and the work there will have to be re- done next year, although, of course. the foundation has been laid. We therefore find ourselves in the excel lent situation of having a larger mar ket than we are able to supnly.
 While prices paid for grapefruit were far better than those of last year, netting the grower S1 or more per field box. they still reflect the fact that We had tC make our own market. Our grapefruit has sold at from s2.75 to S3 per packed box, f. O. b. Phoenix, which. with the freight costs to Cali | fornia added. makes it sell on the coast for about S4.25. in competition i with California fruit at s3 per box, and Florida fruit at about the same ' price as ours.
 | Started Packing Early Tn accordance with our plans, out | lined at the start of season, the Arizona | Citrus Growers commenced packing | just as early as possible, commencing with Clayson grapefruit, about eight cars of which were shipped. owing to the slow picking of fruit by the grow CTS, the packing house was not able to keep busy on Claysons as had been hoped, but was forced to turn also to the Marsh seedles grapefruit, of which 20 cars were marketed.
 This early grapefruit was sent to the west coast markets from Los An geles to Vancouver, and although il had not reached it's finest flavor and quality, it brought good prices and gave satisfaction
 Picking of navel oranges com menced about the middle of October but this fruit did not come in in sui ficent quantity to allow packing at fui capacity. However, the fruit wa: packed as fast as it came in, and wa. shipped out on market that continued to rise until the first week in No. vember.
 Had the growers forced their pick ing so that all the navel oranges coult have been packed and shipped durins those three weeks, we would have haC an unprecedented market for the whol, crop. Practically all the fruit sold be fore Nov. was marketed at sS a box f. O. b. Phoenix, for the Sunflowe brand, which is the first grade.
 There Is no reason why the grower should not have had the entire crol ready for packing in this space of time and in another year, they must b prepared to do so.
 Like A Swinging Door
 "The Arizona market for nave oranges is like a swinging door. l swings open as the Valencia orange go out of the market. It hardly pauses and then commences to swing shut, a the California navels ented the marke Usually there Is plenty of time for ou whole crop to be sold while the door 1 wide open, but this cannot be done un less the fruit is picked off the tree by the growers.
 The last two or three cars of ou navels approached the eastern marke just as prices had commenced to slid under the avalanche of California frui and by the time the last one had bee sold the market had become practical ly non- existent. It has remained s
 ever since. Those cars were shippe
 on Nov. Is, the day after the fir!
 pool closed. and within two days aftt
 the fruit entered the packing hous
 It is clear, therefore, that the respor
 sibility must be placed just where
 belongs, with the growers.
 "Of course, the fault is somewh;