3i6 



inent position in the diet of many, combining from a dietary 

 standpoint pleasure with profit. 



Aitcs the reading of Dr. Shorey's paper the secretary handed 

 to each member present, a sample of sun-dried mango, which had 

 been prepared by Mr, Harry Roberts. The fruit was well re- 

 ceived, nearly all who tasted it pronounced it excellent. Upon 

 being requested by Mr. Smith as to the process of drying, Mr. 

 Roberts reported that the fruit he had used was that of the or- 

 dinary mango. It was first peeled and then sliced — about five slices 

 being yielded by one fruit. It was then placed upon trays in the 

 sun to dry, care being taken to allow free circulation of air. No 

 sugar was used, and after two days the fruit was placed in double 

 paper bags. Mr. Roberts thought that mangoes dried in this way 

 might perhaps be placed on the mainland market to be used in the 

 same way as dried apples. He thought that the trees on his 

 own premises could produce a thousand pounds of dried fruit each 

 year. 



The third paper of the evening was then read: 



FRUIT CITLTURE AN INDUSTRY IN HAWAII. 



Bv Jared G. Smith. 



Special Agent Hazvaii Experiment Station. 



A recent editorial in one of the leading fruit journals of the 

 mainland summarizes the development of the fruit trade of the 

 United States and draws from this summary the conclusion that 

 the consumption of fresh fruit by the people of the United States 

 is increasing in a ratio out of all proportion to the increase in 

 population. In other words the people of the United States arc 

 fruit eaters, and the market is Umited only by the quality of the 

 fruit offered, and by the purchasing ability of the pople who buy. 

 The fruit consumption of the mainland amounted to^ upwards of 

 $140,000,000 during the fiscal year 1905. The value of the 

 orchard fruits was estimated at $85,000,000; of berries and small 

 fruits $20,000.000 ; of tropical fruits from Mexico, Cuba and other 

 Spanish-American countries $25,000,000; $2,000,000 worth from 

 Hawaii and Porto Rico and about $8,000,000 worth from foreign 

 countries. The strawberry crop alone was valued at $15,000,000, 

 and the sum invested in fruit baskets, boxes and crates amounted 

 to over $7,000,000. 



