Evening star., 1924-04-24
SEE WOMAN AS BUYER
OF FOOD FOR HOME
Statement by Gamers as Basis of
Their Summer Trade
Campaign.
FRUIT LOSSES REPORTED
Conditions in California 20 Per
Cent of Normal.
By j. c. ROYLE,

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, April 24.-The ques-
tion which Gamers in this country
say they face in the coming summer
is, How many women want to be
free?" The Western Gamers Asso-
citation, in session at Chicago, will
base a selling campaign this coming
year on the slogan that the tin can
and the can opener are the emanci-
patton proclamation freeing the wom-
en- of the world from domestic drudg-
cry.
Statisticians of the United States
Treasury Department some years ago
established the fact that 90 per cent
of the food purchases for the Amer
lean table are in the hands OF women.
The opinions of the Gamers carried
to the housewives some thing of both
a promise and warning. A canvass
of the situation by j. A. Lee, secre-
tary of the Western Gamers. show ed
prospects for an apparently satisfac-
tory year in corn, peas, tomatoes and
salmon. There has been fairly
thorough cleanup of existing stocks
and prospects indicate good crops and
sta BILE conditions for 1924.
Work of FrCsts In California.
California. according to representa-
tives from that state, faces short
fruit crop. caused by frosts and
drought, which left irrigation reser-
voirs poorly supplied, and they expect
"A demand which will readily absorb
the hOld-over 1928 pack. They say
adverse weather served to reduce the
California fruit crop to 70 per cent of
normal.
Sutter county. where about 40 per
cent Of the California peaches are
grown, suffered severe losses, amount
ing in some orchards to Is per cent,
while Yuba, Butte and Sacramento
counties also sustained heavy dam
age. StatisticianS estimate the dam
age to pears in Sacramento county at
25 per cent. while the plum crop of
the San Joaquin Valley will be so per
cent under normal. The same ap-
plies to cherries. These statements
carry the inevitable conclusion of
higher prices in some sections.
The combination of increased bust
ness. prompt clean-ups of stock and
small crops in some districts has in
duced wholesalers to contract early
for future 1924 output, but prices so
far have been held to an even keel by
existing stocks on hand. Wisconsin
peas and Indiana tomatoes are known
to be in IL good position.
Growers Form Com binaffOn.
In some other parts OF the country
growers have banded together to in
sure larger canning operations. SO
that their products which ripen too
fast for fresh shipment may not be
lost. This tendency is noticeable in
the south, where peach production
promises to be heavy. Packers as
sert, however, that the future pro-
duction of standard canned veg
etables already has proceeded to the
limit of safety. The export demand is
not being neglected in view of the
fact that the foreign countries can
be counted on to absorb over $780,
goods this year.
Canned meat products have a
bright outlook, according to meat
packers, but the prospect for ample
supplies Of mutton and lamb are not
so bright for tie next six months.
One reason for this is the high price
of wool. which has restricted the
marketing of lambs and ewes. An
other is the prevalence of the dread :
ed foot-and-mouth disease in Califor-
MIA. About 5000 spring lambs were
marketed from the California farms
and ranges last year.
Some Sections Quarantine
Federal regulation and protective
measures by adjoining states prohlb-
it's the shipment OF animals on the
hoof from quarantined sections. Ihey
may be slaughtered within those
areas and the products. properly IN :
spected, may be shipped, but this
would entail higher transportation
costs and consequent higher prices to
consumers.
The cost of retailing meats Is now
being made the subject of exhaustive
investigation by mid-western untver-
sites and the Department of Agrl-
ri
show that 1.-The cost of doing busi-
ness" in retail meat shops hovers
around IS to 20 per cent of sales. In
most cases where costs are 20 per
cent or more of sales the stores are
lc sing money, while dealers operating
ar IS ner cent or less of sales are
making profit This means that
each dollars worth of goods bought
by the retailer must be sold around
81 20 to break even.