STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



377 



Now, no one will deny tbat California can produce apples and raisins 

 at as cheap a rate, and of as good a quality, as any other part of the 

 world. The experience of many of our farmers, and the exhil)ition at our 

 fairs for the last few years, establish the afSrmative of this proposition 

 beyond a doubt. 



TABLE 



SJwiciiij fhe numher of paclcages of other fruits imj)orted in each of the last 



three years. 



1S63. 



1864. 



1865. 



Hogsheads 



Casks and barrels 



Kegs 



Boxes and cases .. 

 Packages 



1 



1,644 



2,082 



97,104 



1,280 



42 



1,700 



5,527 



122,549 



1,242 



1,265 



5.327 



132,095 



3,075 



It will be observed that the articles in the above table are only named 

 fruits in general terras. Nor have wc any means of determining the 

 quantity or pounds contained in the packages. It seems that importers 

 have a manner of shipping articles so as to practise a deception on their 

 brother importers, nor will they allow the reporters of tlie commercial 

 papers to know definitely what articles are contained in tiic packages. 

 The whole matter operates as blinds to other importers. They have 

 their object, and, we suppose, a i-ight to keep it to themselves; but vv^e 

 doubt whetlier they gain anything by it, and we are very certain the 

 country cannot. It would be much better for the interest of the State if 

 all the people were to know definitely what articles are imported, tliat 

 they may make their calculations as to the production, probable price, 

 etc. In the above list of barrels, casks, kegs, boxes, cases, etc., are 

 imported figs, prunes, can fruits of all kinds, dates, limes, lemons, olives, 

 oranges, and many other kinds of fruits, nearly all of which we are pro- 

 ducing in small quantities in California, and can just as well produce 

 them in large quantities, so as to supplant the importation and retain 

 the money "that goes out of the State to pay for them in circulation 

 among us. Only a few years ago all our peanuts were imported ; now 

 we supply our own market, and could supply the world. So it may be 

 with nearly all the fruits and nuts of the tropical counti'ics that enter 

 much into commerce. Being unable to say exactly how much the arti- 

 cles imported in the above named packages cost annually, we are com- 

 pelled to resort to speculation on the subject. Wo have tlie opinion of 

 the best judges, and they agree that it requires from two and a half to 

 three million of dollars to foot the bills — in other words, that amount 

 of money is shipped from tlie State in exchange for the articles annually 

 imported under the above indefinite heads. 



We will be safe in saying the^y cost us annually a million and a half. 

 Then we will sum np our importations of fruit as follows: 



48 



