Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-06-26
Reduction In Crop
OfLemons Needed,
CaLifomians Aver

, cast the temperature departures
from the normal very far N ad-
vance. 1t has been extremely diff
ficult, therefore. to so adjust the
shipments Of lemons from this state
as to have q large supply in the
markets as far as 5000 miles away
when the weather was unusually hot
and to have only a small supply
there when the weather was un-
usually cool. This Is the chief rea-
son why prices have fluctuated SO
violently during the summer
months. and il Is also the reason
why the price fluctuations have sell
dom been the same two years in
| succession.
While it Is almost impossible to
determine Just when prices will be
high or low during q given year, IL
Is true that yer a period Of years
prices are higher on the average in
the summer than in the winter.
Those sections of the state. there
fore. that have been able to ship a
relatively large part of their lemons
during the summe months without
undue loss from deterioration in
storage have received higher returns
on the average. IN some instances
this price advantage has meant the
difference between a profitable and
an Improbable lemon district.
The available information indicates
that lemon production in Cali
fornia is now at about the peak.
While there may be a further in
crease in the average yield per acre,
due 10 IT, increased age Of trees. II
is not likely to be large, and it will
probably be largely offset by a de-
crease in the bearing acreage. Since
1925 the trend Of bearing acreage
has been downward and this down
ward trend is likely to continue.
The present non-bearing acreage of
lemons in the state is not sufficient
to replace the bearing acreage that
will normally be taken out. II plant
ings are no heavier during the COM
ing years than they have been in re-
cent years the normal decrease in
bearing acreage will gradually cor
rect the present situation of over
production. Such a remedy. how
ever, must necessarily be slow. And
with the ever present possibility Of
producing lemons than can be
sold at profitable prices.
To remedy this situation 1t Is evil
dent that demand must be increased
or supply reduced. Both offer posi-
bilities. Some increases in demand
can probably be effected, but un-
less some unusual developments oc-
cur 1t will be slow. judging from the
experience Of the past 20 years. On
the other hand. tire supply Of lemons
available for consumption can be
immediately reduced through lin
itation of domestic shipments. This
has already been successfully DEM
onstrated. III limitation Of ship
ments Is extended TO include the en-
tire industry i'm the state 1t will be Of
great value in the temporary solu-
ton Of the problem. It should be
recognized, however, that limitation
Of shipments is a temporary and
not a permanent solution Of over
supply. The permanent solution re-
nuireS a decrease in imports or a
reduction in acreage.
Would Stop Imports
A decrease in imports at this time
would be Of considerable benefit to
the California lemon industry in
that IL would enable the growers to
market a large proportion Of their
merchantahle fruit which Is now
converted to b~y-products or dumped.
A decrease in imports taken by it
self would not necessarily mean that
growers would receive n higher price
per bcE for those shipped. but 1t
would enable them to ship more
boxes at the same price as they are
now receiving. which would add ma
teriallv to their total returns.
Ar mediate reduction in the lem
on acreage in the state would be
helpful. There are unqueStionably
many lemon trees on marginal land.
trees that will continue TO bear for
years and thus add to the total sup
ply Of lemons, but will probably new
or return the owners a profit ex-
cept in seasons Of unusually high
prices. The sooner these trees are