Page 6 



BETTER FRUIT 



November, 1921 



Giant Steamer "Northumberland," 





Which Carries First Big Cargo of Northwestern Apples to England 

 (Photos with article by courtesy Portland Telegram) 



for T. J. Poupart before the season has 

 ended, Mr. Birch stated, will not be less 

 than 200,000 boxes. Considering the fact 

 that this is the first season the firm h.is had 

 an established agency in the Northwest, 

 this record will be a remarkable one. It 

 should be proof that the markets of Eng- 

 land are capable of absorbing an increasing 

 supply of apples and pears from orchards 

 of the coast country. 



Mr. Birch has expressed himself as op- 

 timistic regarding fruit market conditions 

 in England this fall. It is true that un- 

 employment is as prevalent there as in 

 this country, yet there is about equal pur- 

 chasing power. And, what counts most, 

 the Englishman has learned to appreciate 

 the delicious flavor and quality of the 

 apples grown here. He has learned. Pa- 

 cific Coast growers will be delighted to 

 note, to call for their apples when he wants 

 the best. 



The English, as is pretty well known, 

 prefer the yellow apples. Newtown Pip- 

 pins are their favorite, and Mr. Birch 

 states that his shipments will include at 

 least 60 cars of Newtowns. To the Eng- 

 lish there have come to be two kinds of 

 Newtowns — those grown in California and 

 those grown in the Northwest. In quest of 

 his favorite apples the Englishman asks the 

 shopkeeper merely for "Californias'' or 

 "Oregons," and he is given his Newtowns 

 accordingly. 



Other than the Newtown apples, ship- 

 ments from here to England consist of 

 Spitzenbergs, Jonathans and Grimes 

 Golden. 



It is due Mr. Birch to state that his 

 firm is building up its business on the 

 consignment basis, but with advances to 

 the growers that seem liberal in view of 

 their general experience with commission 



brokers. He gives proof of returns from 

 last season's business that reflect much cred- 

 it upon his firm and that were highly 

 pleasing to the growers. 



Apropos of the discussion of shipments 

 by boat, Mr. Birch has stated that there 

 will be a saving in costs this year that must 

 be appreciated by the growers. Where the 

 gross cost of landing a box of apples in 

 England last season was $1.66 he estimates 

 that this season it will be but $1.32. This 

 is a saving that bulks large on extensive 

 consignments. It is worth noting even 

 that any strengthening of the English ex- 

 change market will mean extra profits for 

 shippers. 



Just as there has been a constant devel- 

 opment of the market for Western apples 

 and pears in England, there is reason to 

 hope for somewhat similar development 

 in other European countries and also in 

 South American countries. Investigators in 

 South America report that the apple is 

 quite a favorite delicacy with certain peo- 

 ples. California has been supplying a con- 

 siderable trade there with her apples. Fur- 

 ther expansion of South American markets 

 and of any oriental or island nations to 

 the west must, of course, be dependent on 

 water transportation. 



Again, if the house of representatives 

 follows the lead of the senate in adopting 

 the senate measure for free tolls through 

 the Panama canal for vessels in American 

 coastwise service, there will be further im- 

 mediate increase in steamer shipments of 

 fruit from Pacific Coast points to markets 

 of the East. There is reason to hope for 

 such action in congress. 



In California the citrus fruit growers 

 have enthusiastically taken up a movement 

 to organize their own water transportation 

 line as a means of putting their products 



into Eastern markets. At Los Angeles the 

 California Fruit Growers' Exchange has 

 under way the formation of a $2,000,000 

 steamship company to charter and operate 

 a line of boats. It will be called the 

 Producers' Steamship company. It is 

 planned to assure the undertaking by get- 

 ting contracts with growers of Southern 

 California guaranteeing a yearly tonnage 

 of 2,000,000 boxes, or 5,000 carloads. 

 The capital stock is to be obtained by sale 

 of 20,000 shares at $100. 



This California plan contemplates erec- 

 tion of a pre-cooling plant and wharf at 

 San Pedro; purchase of trucking equip- 

 ment; chartering of six fast ships and the 

 procuring of adequate terminal facilities 

 at Philadelphia, New York and Boston. 

 Development of these plans will be 

 watched with keen interest by fruit men 

 of the West. 



From these facts Western fruit men can 

 hardly fail to draw pleasing conclusions. 

 The facts point indisputably to the ex- 

 pansion of markets, the stabilizing of prices 

 and the more economical distribution of 

 fruit products of the Pacific Coast country. 



The earliest shipment of new crop 

 prunes sent from Oregon was dispatched 

 from Riddle to Minneapolis the first week 

 in October by the Oregon Growers' As- 

 sociation. A few days later the initial 

 shipment of Willamette Valley Mistland 

 prunes was started to Toronto, Canada. 

 This was a straight shipment of 30s, 

 packed in 25-pound boxes. 



Prunes, for obvious reasons are unusually 

 large this season. In some lots as many 

 as half have graded 20-30s. At Ten Mile, 

 Oregon, Mohr & Moss are said to have 

 exhibited eight prunes that v/eighed a 

 pound. 



