THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



CALIFORNIA STATE COMMISSION OF HORTICULTURE 

 Vol. VI. May, 1917. No. 5 



Proceedings of Forty-Ninth California State 

 Fruit Growers' Convention 



Napa, Cal., November 15, 16, 17, 1916. 



THE DRIED PEAR INDUSTRY. 



By F, G. Stokes. County Horticultural Commissioner, Kelseyville, Cal. 



In discussing a topic allotted to me ; viz., "The Dried Pear Industry," 

 my remarks will lie somewhat local. The main idea will be to go into 

 detail and show how and why we of Lake County have come into promi- 

 nence as producers of some of the best dried pears on the market, com- 

 manding as I can truthfully state and prove, leading preferential whole- 

 sale prices which more than offsel our present lack of transportation 

 facilities. 



Judging from letters received from prominent dried fruit firms and 

 from their active competition in buying our sun cured pears, we stand 

 in a class by ourselves in raising and drj ing a first-class Bartlett. 



Having made these egotistical remarks boosting this particular feature 



of the eounty 1 represent, and in order In lie fair to other parts of the 



state, producing good Bartletts, will say that Contra Costa, Solano, 



Sonoma. Napa, Alameda, Santa ('lata and Mendocino counties also 



re in- less contribute to the dried pear industry. 



The demand I'm- dried pears is certainly mi the increase, the markets 

 ever widening and the price with an upward tendency. The question 

 as in whether or qo1 to dry one's pears is generally settled by the price 

 paid for our particular product, there being much variation in the 

 sugar} content and texture of the Bartlett, whether irrigated or non- 

 irrigated, and by the ratio of evaporation from ripe fruit to dried. 

 Where Lake County pears ilvy out from four and five pounds green to 

 one pound dried, in many oilier localities the ratio is as high as six 

 and .seven to one. The higher the ratio, naturally the higher the cost 

 of manufacturing the dried ton for market. Where it costs us. without 

 figuring on wear and tear of plant and interest on investment, from 

 $35 to $40 labor, etc., to turn off each dried ton. in some other places 

 it costs $50 or more, assuming the same scale of wages to be paid; and 

 then, on the side, it might lake one or two tons more of the fruit per 

 dried ton. For this reason alone, many counties find it more profitable 

 to sell their penis green to the canner or in nearby cities, or to ship 

 in refrigerator ears to the Eastern markets. 



2—29631 



