301 

 FRUIT MARKETING EXPERIMENTS. 



By J. E. HiGGiNS. 



Fruit growing is destined to become one of Hawaii's most im- 

 portant industries. Already pineapple growing has assumed 

 large proportions, and other fruits are certain to follow. To as- 

 certain the best methods of marketing, including every step in 

 the process from the gathering of the fruit in the field to its sale, 

 is quite as important a factor in any fruit industry as that of 

 production. To determine some of the important elements in 

 marketing, the Hawaii Experiment Station has undertaken a 

 series of experiments which has now covered some four years. 

 During the present season two experimental shipments have been 

 made with very satisfactory results. 



The first shipment, in 1907, which I accompanied* personally, 

 left Honolulu, July 24th. It arrived in San Francisco on the 

 30th, and a part of it was trans-shipped to Los Angeles. Careful 

 notes were made of the conditions of different lots of fruit, 

 illustrating different methods of packing and handling. Cable 

 advices Avere sent to Honolulu embodying some of the more im- 

 portant results, in order. that advantage might be taken of the 

 experiments of the first shipment in preparing and forwarding 

 the second. The second shipment arrived in San Francisco, 

 August 2 1 St. 



Owing to very unfavorable conditions of weather at the time 

 of gathering the fruit and packing at the plantations at Wa- 

 hiawa, a considerable portion of the fruit did not arrive in condi- 

 tion to warrant trans-shipment. The pineapples were opened, 

 sorted, and repacked, the riper specimens being left in San Fran- 

 cisco for sale. The fruit wdiich had been picked and dried before 

 packing arrived in San Francisco in most excellent condition, so 

 that nearly all of it could be shipped East. The portion that was 

 suitable for shipment, together with the avocados was placed' in a 

 refrigerated car on the 22nd and started on their journey to 

 Sacramento, where the car joined a fruit express and proceeded 

 to Chicago, arriving late in the afternoon of August 31st. 

 September ist being Sunday, and the 2nd Labor Day, it was not 

 possible to handle the fruit of the car until Tuesday, the 3rd. 



On September 3rd a large committee appointed by the Chicago 

 Association of Commerce, visited the car and manifested much 



