346 THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



GRAPE STANDARDIZATION. 



By A. L. Rutherford, County Horticultural Commissioner. Modesto. Cal. 



Many years ago when fresh grapes were shipped to eastern markets remunerative 

 prices were obtained. The grapes were of fine quality and much care was exercised 

 in the packing. These good prices stimulated planting, so with each year large 

 acreages were added to the industry, until the market became somewhat overstocked. 

 Prices began to decline and this caused growers and packers to become less careful 

 in both the growth of fruit and in the pack. So the business went from bad to 

 worse until the railroads and packers were getting all that was to be made. The 

 packers were getting their price for packing, and the railroads were charging the 

 same freight, so they kept encouraging the growers to continue picking and delivering 

 to the packing houses, even though the growers were not getting pay for the hauling. 



During this time of general bankruptcy there were a few farmers who had not 

 lost the art of putting good, clean fruit on the market, and they continued to receive 

 prices that justified the expense and trouble. The prices which these people obtained 

 were held up to the rank and file of growers to encourage more shipments. 



At last the time came when the fresh grape shipments would have to cease, 

 or the growers would have to assign, and it was not until then that growers attempted 

 to help themselves. Committees of investigators were sent out to see what might 

 be done. These investigators developed the fact that good ripe fruit was yet com- 

 manding good prices, so it was decided that only clean, ripe fruit should be shipped. 

 Then it was that our farmer legislators in 1914 got their heads together, framed and 

 passed a standardization law to control the quality of fruit shipped. This law, 

 although somewhat lame, did wonders towards restoring profitable prices. Two 

 parts of the section of the law provide that all fruit shipped must be practically free 

 from insects and fungous diseases, and that grapes shall show at least 16 and 17 

 per cent Balling scale. These are the main features of the law of benefit to the 

 fruit grower. 



In 1915, when the law became operative, it was quite a serious problem with the 

 different horticultural commissioners to determine just how to proceed. I put my 

 machinery to work, then slipped down to Fresno, then to San Joaquin County to 

 see if my system of inspection could be improved, but, to my surprise. I found both 

 Fresno and San Joaquin doing just as I had planned. The task was so expensive, 

 with insufficient money available, that it was out of the question to put an 

 inspector at each of the packing houses. So the next best thing was done, 

 that was for the inspectors to visit each packing house one or more times a 

 day, as the demand might require, and not at any particular hour. Often two 

 inspectors would have overlapping territory, so the packers would not know where 

 or when to look for an inspector. Then the commissioner made it a point to visit 

 each packing house every other day, if not oftener. The commissioner and each 

 inspector was provided with a Balling scale testing outfit, and these were used 

 whenever there was any suspicion of the fruit not being up to the required test 

 Mildew and insect diseases were carefully looked after. 



The word "practically" in the sentence (practically free from insect and fungous 

 diseases') was the cause of much discussion. The packer would insist that where 

 there was but a slight infestation of mildew the grapes were practically free, and 

 again, the packers would put up two grades for shipment, one for local and the 

 other for foreign or interstate shipment, so it was not always possible to know 

 just where the grapes were to be shipped. 



Most packing firms and the packers took pride in putting out a clean, fancy pack. 

 There were others who only cared to get out quantity, and not until a few packed 

 cars were turned down and threats made of arrest did these packers come to under- 

 stand that their packs must conform to the requirements of the standardization law 

 in every possible way. 



During the season of 1916 there was a decided improvement over the pack of 

 1915, due to the growers using greater effort to subdue the mildew, waterberries, and 

 prohibiting the gathering of underripe fruit And most all packers had learned that 

 it was to their interests, as well as to the interests of the growers, to send forward 

 honest packs. Consequently, last year it required less vigilance, on the part of the 

 inspectors to obtain a better pack. 



During the past session of the legislature the promoters of the first standardization 

 law, with the State Commission of Horticulture, and the different horticultural 

 organizations framed and passed an amendment to the law, which our good Governor 

 has seen fit to sign. This law, relative to grape shipments, affords some improvement, 

 opens the way to produce splendid results, and promises the restoration of early-day 

 prices to the grape grower. 



Standardization and organization is the keynote of prosperity to the farmer and 

 the fruit grower. Let the good work go on. 



