THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 363 



color, flavor, firm texture and are usually clean and of good size. Moor- 

 parks have a flavor preferred by many, and they grow to larger size, 

 but they ripen unevenly, one half ripening before the other ; the upper 

 portion about the stem is usually green and hard after the lower portion 

 is fully ripe. The fruit grown in the interior, as well as in the southern 

 part of the State, is not so desirable in color, flavor or texture, although 

 there are exceptional locations. Apricot growers have three opportu- 

 nities for disposing of their product, as the canner must compete with 

 the shipper and the dryer. 



CHERRIES. 



With apricots and apples, as with most of the important canning 

 fruits, the dealer and consumer demand a clear transparent syrup. 

 For this reason our Royal Anne and white cherries in general are pre- 

 ferred, while the black varieties are not popular with the canner. The 

 Royal Anne is wanted for its size and firm texture. When it ripens 

 in the sun and takes on its beautiful red color it is not so desirable to 

 the canner as the waxy white ones which grow in the shade. The high 

 colored ones turn a russet brown after processing, and the uninformed 

 buyer thinks the fruit is bruised. Cherries are stemmed, washed and 

 canned whole, without pitting. Skin blemishes, bird pecks and cracks 

 are accordingly very conspicuous and undesirable. Cherries grow to 

 perfection in the north central counties of the State, and are bought 

 by shippers and by packers in IMaraschino, as well as by canners. An 

 average price would be from 5 cents to 6 cents per pound. 



The so-called soft white cherries are less desirable because they have 

 not the firm texture, do not stand handling nor processing so well as 

 the Royal Annes, and are smaller in size, although some varieties — like 

 the Rockport and Buttners — are quite superior to other soft white 

 varieties; these usually sell to canners for l^x cents to 2 cents per 

 pound less than the Royal Anne. As explained above, black cherries 

 are not popular in cans, as the color darkens the syrup, and the canner 

 must sell at a much lower price, and then only in a limited way; he 

 usually paj^s about 3i cents or 4 cents per pound. About 1,200 tons 

 of Royal Annes and Whites are used annually for canning, and prob- 

 ably 450 tons of Blacks. 



GRAPES. 



The Muscat or raisin grape is canned to a limited extent. The fruit 

 is merely stemmed and washed. About 1,000 tons are used annually 

 at a price of about $12 to $15 per ton. 



NECTARINES. 



Nectarines are used in a very limited way. Some varieties have a 

 high color at the pit, Avhich discolors the flesh of the fruit when 

 processed. All varieties must be well ripened to secure the flavor, and 

 yet in this condition the fruit is so soft and .juicy as to make it unsuit- 

 able for canning purposes. A very limited quantity is used, and the 

 fresh and dried fruit markets are more desirable for this variety. 



3—18454 



