Page 23 



BETTER FRUIT 



January, ig20 



Prospects for American Fruit in the United Kingdom 



By Edward A. Foley, American Agricultural Trade Commissioner at London 



BEFORE discussing the fruit situa- 

 tion in the United Kingdom and 

 its relation to the prospects for 

 American fruits, I wish to call attention 

 to the decision of the British Food Con- 

 troller to limit the retailers' profit on 

 fruits. This regulation is not yet in ef- 

 fect in all parts of the country. Just 

 what the margin of profit will be was 

 left to the Food Control of the various 

 sections of the country. At the time of 

 writing this report (October 24) the 

 profit allowed the retailer in the Bir- 

 mingham section had been set at 33% 

 per cent — that is, fruit must be sold to 

 the consumer at not more than 33% per 

 cent above the maximum price allowed 

 the wholesaler. 



This margin of profit would be prob- 

 ably more than fair if it were not for 

 the fact that perishable products dete- 

 riorate and rot, and such a profit may 

 be insufficient to cover the losses from 

 such sources. 



If the other districts follow the lead 

 of Birmingham, and I have reason to 

 believe that they will, a radical change 

 will be made in the retailing of Ameri- 

 can and other fruits. The retailer will 

 buy a week's supply of apples and a 

 smaller supply of the more perishable 

 fruits; he probably will not take any 

 chance of loss through deterioration. 

 This will throw the stocks back on the 

 wholesaler, who has in most cases no 

 storage facilities and who is also 

 bound by the maximum price fixed 

 when the value of the pound sterling 

 in New York was around $4.60. It may 

 also disturb the equilibrium of the 

 markets. Under the old system the re- 



tailer fell back on his accumulation in 

 the cellar when there was a shortage in 

 the wholesale market. As he probably 

 can not afford to carry a reserve sup- 

 ply under the new system he must go 

 without supplies during the shortage. 

 This regulation will also tend to reduce 

 further the price to the producer, as 

 the wholesaler must carry the loss by 

 deterioration and will recoup this loss 

 from the sale of the fruit, which he 

 must sell at the fixed maximum price, 

 or lower. This condition is one that 

 should be watched very closely, as 

 the margin between profit and loss has 

 been very close this year. It might be 

 well to notice that the era of high war- 

 time wages is over and that there is 

 considerable unemployment. These two 

 factors were absent in last year's mar- 

 ket conditions. 



Apples — It is difficult to get a very ac- 

 curate estimate of the 1919 apple crop 

 of Great Britain. However, 230 odd 

 inquiries showed that 100 placed the 

 crop at normal, 80 over the average, 

 and ."50 under the average. The sup- 

 plies are pouring into the London and 

 other markets in large quantities at 

 lower prices; hence, it is safe to say the 

 crop is larger than has been produced 

 for some years. The prices of English 

 cooking apples range from $1.50 to $2.10 

 per bushel; dessert varieties, $2.10 to 

 $4.20 per bushel. Many of the most 

 careful importers are dubious of the 

 success of the importations of apples 

 into Great Britain this year. At the 

 time this report was written American 

 apples could be bought for 60 cents per 

 box less in Liverpool than in Boston. 



DISTANCE SPRAY 

 AS SIMPLE AS 

 A^B'C TO ADJUST 



You will appreciate 

 Ihe remarkable sim- 

 plicity of the Myers Power 

 Spray Gun — You will like its 

 common - sense features that have "" 

 made it so successful — You will be more 

 than pleased with its easy adjustment (long 

 distance or broad fanlike spray by one third 

 turn of handle) — You will marvel at the uni- 

 form manner in which it discharges the spraying 

 liquid and will appreciate its capacity range, (4. 6, 8 or 10 

 gallons) adapting it for use with any power spray 

 pump — and. above all you will profit by the time, labor 

 ' ■ itions. 



the opportunity 





^^OXj^^f^L and material it saves during spraying operati 

 ^ y^-'v ■■^ Help is scarce — time is money. Here is tl 

 ^ for belief — equip your Power Spray Outfit with a MYERS 



SPRAY GUN ~ the simplified one man spraying device. Your 

 dealer will supply you or write us. 



1920 Spray Catalog on request |- ,,. „ ^. — ^, 



''ASHLAND PUMP AND HAV TOOL WORKS 



0jm-^.j-'^ 



PACIFIC NORTHWEST DISTRIBUTORS 



PORTLAND, OREGON 



SPOKANE, WASH. 



BUY FROM THE LOCAL MITCHELL DEALER 



WHEN WRITING ADVERTISERS MENTION BETTER FRUIT 



American barrelled varieties have 

 been ranging from $8.35 to $14.10 per 

 barrel, but in many cases the fruit has 

 been out of condition, and the prices, 

 therefore, have been unsatisfactory. 

 However, fruit arriving in sound condi- 

 tion and well graded brings the maxi- 

 mum price. A few consignments of 

 American boxed apples have arrived 

 and have sold for an average of $3.75 

 per box. 



Considerable quantities of apples 

 from Nova Scotia have been arriving, 

 the prices ranging from $5.20 to $13.55 

 per barrel. A great many of these 

 apples also have arrived out of condi- 

 tion and have brought unsatisfactory 

 prices. With a reported Nova Scotia 

 crop of from 1,000,000 to 1,500,000 bar- 

 rels, the majority of which find their 

 way to the English markets, and a large 

 domestic crop, careful attention must 

 be paid by American exporters to this 

 market, especially until the absorption 

 of the home crop. 



I am not at all pessimistic about the 

 outlook for American apples in this 

 market, but I do want at this time to 

 urge shippers to be careful of condi- 

 tions here, especially as the margin of 

 profit is so close. And, above all, must 

 Americans be careful of their pack. 

 High class, well graded apples will 

 bring the maximum price, but ungraded 

 stock falls into competition with the 

 ungraded home stock and is slaught- 

 ered. 



And there is a lot of this ungraded 

 home stock. Every huckster's cart 

 around London is filled with it. 



Pears — British pears range from $2.10 

 to $6.67 per bushel; American pears 

 from $6.25 to $7.30 per box. The condi- 

 tion of many California Bartlett pears 

 left much to be desired. Those on the 

 London market really were not fit for 

 sale. Some pears, however, arrived in 

 excellent condition and brought a good 

 price. 



Grapes — Large quantities of Almeria 

 grapes are usually absorbed in the Brit- 

 ish markets. Late heavy frosts, how- 

 ever, have affected the shipping and 

 carrying qualities of these grapes and 

 their importation has about finished. It 

 is quite possible that the American 

 grape could be successfully introduced 

 at this time. A small shipment of Mala- 

 gas from California has recently ar- 

 rived in good condition. They have 

 only the competition of the hot-house 

 muscatel at $0.62 to .$2.50 per pound; 

 therefore, if the American grape can 

 be landed here successfully, there is 



Fruit trees budded from bearing oreh- 

 ards. Apple. Pear. Chern'. Pearh. Plum, 

 ITTine, Apricot. Quince. Crape Vines, 

 Slirubbery. Plants. Raspberries. Rlack- 

 berries, Xjogans. Dewberries. Asparagus, 

 Rhubarb. Floweriiig Shrubs. Roses. 

 Vines. HedRe. Nut and Shade Trees. 

 Carriage paid. Satisfaction guaranteed. 



W^ASHINGTON Pi«JRSER"V CO. 



Toppenish, Wastaingi^on. 



Salesmen every wltere. More wanted. 



WHEN WRITING ADVERTISERS MENTION BETTER FRUIT 



