298 Appendix, 



TOO MANY PRUNES. 



By Col. Henry E. Dosch^ Hillsdale Oregon. Read before the Northwest Fruit 

 Growers meeting, Portland, January, 1004. 



"Too many prunes" was the heading of a commercial column in a recent 

 issue of the Oregonian which attracted my attention. The article gave details 

 of the congested condition of the prune market at this time, with poor prospects 

 of betterment in the near future. 



The question naturally rises. Why is the prune market seemingly over- 

 stocked, and whose fault is it — tlie grower's, the dealer's or the consumer's? 

 Again, no distinction is made between the French prune (Petite d'Afjcn), known 

 to the trade as tlie California prune, and the Fellenberg, commonly and errone- 

 ously called Italian, but now known to the trade as the Oregon prune, itielf a 

 misnomer, as this prune grows equally well in parts of Washington and Idaho, 

 but as it has l)ecome a commercial term it may be difficult to change it. While 

 there is a similarity between the California and Oregim prune, there is a vast 

 difference as to food quality. This difference is so pronounced that there should 

 be no comparison, but unfortunately this is not understood by the average 

 consumer, to wliom, usually, a prune is a prune. Personally, i do not think it 

 is the fault of the producer or grower, for a finer, more toothsome fruit either 

 in the fresh state or evaporated, is not produced, nor a fruit which is more 

 conducive to good health tlian this very Oregon prune. 



Dr. Beutzer, of Germany, the great scientist, and Dr. Sophie Lepper, the 

 noted English food specialist, give it their emphatic indorsement as a hygienic 

 agent. Tliey further say tliat prunes afford the highest nerve and brain 

 food, supply heat and waste, but are not muscle-feeding. Analysis has shown 

 that the Oregon prune possesses therapeutic properties not contained in the 

 French or California prune. Dr. Lepper also tells us that people of a bilious 

 temperament should avoid the sweet French prune, as it will make them more 

 bilious, while the Fellenberg prune has the opposite effect. People of a sedentary 

 habit, with torpid livers, can speedily find relief and cure by eating a saucerful 

 of stewed Oregon prunes every day at breakfast. However, the greatest medicinal 

 property contained in the Oregon prune is the prevention of scurvy, of which 

 I will speak later. 



As to the consumer : It is a well-known fact that the well-to-do American 

 is not a consumer of dried or evaporated fruits of any kind, because fresli 

 fruits in and out of season are always at his command, so the producer must 

 look to the masses of people, who cannot afford these fruits, and whose earnings 

 are not sufficient to purchase luxuries, but wlio would buy and consume our 

 prunes if properly educated and the fruit sold at figures within their reach. 

 So we cannot help but come to the conclusion that, in a large measure at least, 

 it must be the fault of the dealers, whether jobbers or retailers, for these prunes 

 are retailed at prices which practically prohibit their reaching the table of 

 the masses. 



In a journey through Canada and Eastern States two months ago, I noticed 

 the various fruit stands and displays at grocery stores, and permit me to remark 

 incidentally that the finest apples were Oregon apples, with a sign on each box 

 "Choice Oregon Apples." wliicli formerly were accredited to California, because 

 consumers have learned the difference between our superior Oregon apples and 



