Arizona republican., 1922-01-16
GRAPE INDUSTRY HAS
SPLENDID FUTURE IN
VALLEY SAYS EXPERT

The closer the scrutiny given to
the fresh or table grape proposition
in the Salt River valley the better it
looks from every standpoint. accord
ing TO j. j. Could, chairman of the
Arizona Grape Growers association.
who has prepared the following ar
ticle on the industry:
while it is not generally known,
we in Arizona are now being given
the closest examination by those big
and successful interests in Califor-
MIA which are always alert to the
possibilities offered by any new field
with which they may come in COM
petition. 1t is the universal opinion
of these men that we are today hold
ing the greatest possibilities of any
section of the southwest in the devel-
opment of the fresh grape.
we can lay aside, if necessary, the
raisin end of the proposition. at
least for the time being. and give
our strict attention to the fresh or
table grape. Quality of product
that must be our slogan. Ship only
ripe. sweet grapes; Gull the punches:
put nothing in the basket and crate
but the very best of our vineyards.
I'VE must have a label that
buyer will know when he sees it on
a crate that the fruit in that crate
is high class and uniform. The
American people will pay more for
a first class article than any other
people on earth. They have lived
higher standard than any other ma
tion, and will pay for the best there
is The vast market offered us in a
- Z -. =
comprehension We will come into
the market with the first grapes Of
fered What does this mean?
while the price asked cannot be
too high, yet there are enough of
those people who always buy the best
of everything TO give us a market
which will be the cream of the busi-
ness for the earliest of our shipments.
If care is taken in planting varieties
that follow each other in consecutive
order of ripening, we can hold our
market without great difficulty.
Starting with the Thompson
Seedless by June % we will follow
with the Malage on July IS. and the
Cornichon by Aug. and the En-
peror in September or late August.
These four well known and fine va
rieties will give a market period that
will cover the season except late fall.
We will have to find varieties that
will ripen later than Emperor to sup
ply the late market.
Outside of the varieties mentioned
are many whose qualities are super
ior for table and juice. Four of these
are thin skinned and do not ship
well, but the growers in California
are extracting the juice. sterilizing
and shipping the same to all parts
of the United States. Most of these
varieties are doing well. although
some OF them may suffer during the
hot, dry summer months. Careful
attention is being given, however. at
the Mesa experimental station and
other points in the valley as to the
growth of these varieties.
Or. F. J. Crider of the University
OF Arizona agricultural department is
giving much thought TO the fresh
grape industry for Arizona
1T is my deep seated conviction
that this state will lead any other
locality in the United States in the
of table grapes. Our qua
lity alone will place us at the head
of all other localities for nowhere
does the Crane take on sugar as il
does here. We want cooperative ef-
fort by every interest in the state
toward putting this now infant in
dustry on it's feet.
I'VE need experimental work done
by the state department OF horticul
ture that will show us the way. We
have ahead of US a future that is in
deed bright if-and it Is a big if
our first efforts are not mistakes.
"Californias raisin crop was worth \
sac. 600. 900 in 1920. Statistics are not
available for the value of the 10000
cars of table grapes. shipped this
last season. but the figures viii be
We must go ahead, care
fully and in three years from today.
we will see Arizona grapes on every
market in the United States"