THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 511 



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THE OUTLOOK FOR THE LEMON. 



By G. W. HosFORD, Manager San Dimas Lemon Association, San Dinias, Cal. 



According to the data assembled by the Citrus Protective League, the 

 total acreage of lemon trees in California is about 32,000. Of this 

 acreage, over one-half is not in bearing, and assuming that the old 

 groves should continue their present production, and that the young 

 groves should produce as heavily, we shall be producing within eight or 

 ten years more lemons than are at present consumed in this country. 

 In the past few years California has produced about one-half the total 

 amount used in the United States. The balance has been imported from 

 Italy, and mostly from the Island of Sicily. 



Under the reduced tariff presented to us by the present administra- 

 tion, we have found the competition with Sicilian lemons very hard to 

 meet in the eastern markets. This countiy has been considered by the 

 Italians their best lemon market, it having used on an average about 

 25 per cent of the entire Italian output. Under the cheap labor con- 

 ditions of Italy and the smaller transportation charges to the Atlantic 

 seaboard, the Italians can pay the present tariff and still grow lemons 

 at a profit when the California grower is produciug at a loss. 



It will be seen, therefore, that the elimination of the imported lemon 

 and the replacing of it with the California article, can be accomplished 

 only by a stiff fight. There is no doubt that this condition must be met 

 and overcome during the next few years, in order to market the 

 increased crop which the large amount of young acreage promises. 



The California lemon growers are alive to the situation and have 

 already taken steps to meet the conditions which are confronting them. 

 A large proportion of the lemons are handled through the selling 

 facilities of the California Fruit Growers' Exchange. Practically all 

 of the large shippers of lemons have availed themselves of the superior 

 facilities for marketing fruit through this organization. The Exchange 

 has been working for several years on an extensive advertising campaign 

 for both oranges and lemons. During the coming year, for the first 

 time, a national campaign will be inaugurated to increase the sale and 

 use of lemons. The results already obtained in the advertising of Sun- 

 kist brands have been very satisfactory. The growers have every reason 

 to feel confident that the advertising of Sunkist lemons will help very 

 materially in the handling of the increased output. 



QUALITY. 



With the lemon, as with every other fruit, the reputation for superior 

 quality is a great asset in its marketing. During the past ten years the 

 California lemon has been making steady progress in the markets of the 

 countrv, until it has secured an enviable reputation, not only for honest, 

 uniform pack, but also for keeping quality. In the western markets, 

 where the better grades of California lemons have been largely marketed 

 up to this time, this is universally true. In the eastern auction markets, 

 where the poorer grades of California lemons have been marketed m 

 competition with the imported lemons, progress has been slower. 



*Address before the State Fruit Growers' Convention, Palo Alto, Cal., July, 1915. 



