Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-07-21

IN Canada is excellent, writes Geo.
F. Walker from Port Stanley, Ont.
Canada, but the story Of Valley
grapefruit status IS not SO ncour-
aging. He discusses the Canada
market in detail in the following
letter:
Before leaving Brownsville late
IN June, I was asked by various
people to again look into the mar
ketlng situation in this portion of
Canada and report how our vege-
tables and citrus fruits were taking
and whether or not we were meet
ing the demands of this highly
competitive market. London, a city
OF about $4,000 people, is the dis
trlbuting center of this particular
district and this report covers chief
ly the London territory.
AS to vegetables, the conditions
are very satisfactory. Only a few
kicks as to some vegetables COM
ing in bushel hampers, when they
much prefer the California crates
and are willing to pay the differ
ence in price. The quality was re-
ported excellent by both wholesal-
erS and retailers. Tomatoes from
the Valley were reported as better
than those from Mexico or Missis-
Slppl. Langford and Edwards, the
largest importers n London, said
they imported four carloads Of to-
matoeS from San Benito and Rio
Hondo and were much pleased with
them. Packing was good and quail
lty Of the best. Other vegetables
were brought in from all pr ats Of
the Valley, BROWNE lille to Mission,
and all were satisfactory. We have
a real and growing market here, if
we watch it closely.
Grapefruit Story Different
But the story on grapefruit
not so good. In fact, some of it
viii be dlscouraging to that great
majority of growers and shippers in
the Valley trying to prevent any,
thing but the best pack getting out.
To understand the situation better
I should mention that the people
OF Canada and the northern United
States are not yet confirmed grape
fruit eaters, but are slowly being
educated. Around hero not n
family in is, I would say, demand
grapefruit for breakfast, but the
Valleys very good friends, Lang
ford and Edwards, have been giving
out much grapefruit free to con-
SumerS, and this year put on a very
heavy and expensive campaign over
the London radio station. They al
SO printed large cards .or the re-
tail store windows, these cards
stating Texas Grapefruit sold
here" Mr.. Langford was on n
visit to the Valley, liked our peo-
pie and progressive spirit and de-
clded to create a real market for
u products here. Last year he
made a good beginning and this
year went to great expense expand
ing the market and getting con-
SumerS to ask for Texas grape
fruit. Grapefruit from Florida and
other places, have had, of course,
the call in the past and it is hard
to wean these very conservative
people away from what they have
used and liked, but Langford and
Edwards were willing to spend their
time and money doing it, but count
ed on full cooperation from the
Valley growers and shippers. Now
see what they ran up against:
Mercedes Shipment Poor
II ordered the first two carloads
from a shipper in Mercedes" said
Mr.. Langford, "and when the first
one arrived was .dismayed to find
that the fruit was small, badly
graded and immature, so immature
in fact that it was whiting and
shrinking. My campaign was on
and I had to fill my orders with the
retailers but the results were al
most ruinous. I Immediately wired
the shipper not to send the second
car unless it was first class, but it
came on and tie quality was but
little better. It was hard to dis
pose Of and should not have been
sent out at all. Great damage re-
suited and I would have dropped
Valley grapefruit for good, had I
not have been a friend Of the VAL
ley and determined to put it over
after going to so much expense.
I therefore cancelled out this ship
per from all fruit business and Or
dered other carloads from big ship
pers in San Benito, Mission and
Sharyland. These amounted in all
to about 10 carloads, all of which
were first class and well packed
and I gradually got my market
back before the season was over,
but I could have sold a lot more
Of the Valley fruit had the first
carloads been proper, and a lot of
our people would now be eating
Texas grapefruit that think Of it
as inferior and undesirable fruit.
A wholesaler in Kitchener, Ga city
out a hundred miles from London)
received a bad carload also, from
whom I do not know, and as he
could not sell it, peddled some of
it to Catalano & Sons, London, and
this helped to demoralize my mar
kets."
Toronto Lot Bad
How did Toronto make out?"
I asked? CToronto has SOC, 900
people and is the capital Of On
taria).
"'They got a bad carload at the
beginning and did not put your
fruit over again this year" he said,
going on to explain that had Toron-
to been able to put it over, its mer-
chants would have handled around
a hundred cars, based on popula-
ton, as compared to 10 for London.
Il will get details from Toronto
when I go down there later on. I
should mention that MI. Langford
not only advertised our fruit over
the radio and by giving samples to
customers, but took Texas Sweet
u-ra ppers and hands frnno hoYes and