216 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



generally run larger and better, and has brought greatly enhanced prices,, 

 so the deficiency in quantity has to a considerable extent been recouped by 

 the increased value. We write on the California prune industry with as 

 much pleasure as we do on raisins, for both are in the front rank of great 

 California industries. The California prune is not really in competition 

 with the imported French prune, because it is a better fruit, of better 

 flavor, and of better keeping qualities. The far western trade discovered 

 this fact some time since, with the result that our prunes have not only 

 largely supplanted the imported prunes in the great western markets, but 

 for the past two years they have actually sold on the average at from 1 to 

 3 cents a pound above the French prune. The California prune is like a 

 date, and when cut, of a bright golden color; when cooked, it is superior to 

 anything grown elsewhere. 



All first class packers now grade their prunes with satisfaction to the 

 trade. The growers this year realized from 2 to 2-| cents per pound for the 

 fresh fruit, showing a splendid profit, and when packed prices have ruled 

 from 9 to 14 cents, according to sizes. From the large number of new 

 orchards coming yearly into bearing, we can safely estimate the product 

 in 1888 at three million five hundred thousand pounds, or say fifteen mil- 

 lion pounds of the green fruit. 



The Santa Clara Valley is the home of the best California prunes. 



California German Prunes. — While California can produce a nice Ger- 

 man prune, the French prune is so much superior that the German is 

 neglected. The result is that little or no progress has been made in the 

 production of the German prune in this State. The tree here produces 

 abundantly, but the price is so much lower that growers prefer to plant 

 the French prune. Some little has been done in setting out new orchards 

 in this fruit, but we cannot say that the outlook is very promising for a 

 profitable market. The imported Turkish and Bulgarian prune, dirty 

 trash, which are imported here in casks from Europe, supply what trade 

 there is on this coast for a cheap prune. We think, however, that the day 

 is not far distant when this nasty mixture from Europe will cease to be 

 quoted in this market. • 



Sun-dried Apples. — The low prices that have prevailed for the last two 

 or three years for our sun-dried apples, have very seriously curtailed the 

 product, as there was no money to the producers in putting them up. 

 What drying has been done in the last year or two has been in the way 

 of evaporated bleached apples, something for which we are profoundly 

 thankful. As we mentioned in our last annual review, the day of sun- 

 dried apples is undoubtedly rapidly passing by, and although the evapo- 

 rated commands considerable more money, they are so much better and 

 more cleanly and really cheaper for domestic use, that two thirds of the 

 trade now call for the evaporated fruit. 



We hope the time is near at hand when we shall see no more sun-dried 

 apples offered for sale. 



Sun-dried Peaches. — We report a large increase in the product over 1886. 

 The eastern crop, however, was short this year, and California was sub- 

 jected to a most extraordinary demand from all quarters, which principally 

 cleaned up the whole crop at good prices to the producers. In addition to 

 this the demand for our green peaches this year, for canning purposes, also 

 was equally heavy, and growers found no difficulty in selling either to the 

 canners or to the driers, at prices which returned them handsome profits. 



