THE DRIED-FRUIT TRADE. 587 
The product last year was about 25,000 boxes of 20 pounds each, and 
this year it is expected there wiil be made, from the excellence and 
abundance of the grape crop, at least 40, 000 boxes. It is only a ques- 
tion of time, and the discovery of the best process, which -shall place 
native raisins on a par with the imported fruit. With so large a country 
for a market, and conditions of soil and climate so well adapted to the 
production of raisins, and the gratifying success that has already at- 
tended the efforts in this line of industry, there is every encouragement 
to believe that in a few years the Asis States will supply the home 
markets with this luxury. 
Prunes are also made in California tt a considerable extent, and find 
a ready market. Those raised and made in Germany and France are 
sold at from 15 to 50 cents per pound, the highest-priced being the choice 
prunes of Bordeaux. Any land that will produce good ‘apples will 
answer as well for prunes. 
It is a fact well known in the trade that the supply of dried fruits 
has never yet been equal tothedemand. The extraordinary increase in 
the production which has taken place during the past few years has 
been met by a still greater consumption. 
The dried-fruit trade, having its beginning in the small quantities bar- 
_ tered at the village stores and gathered for market use, has grown with 
the increasing population and by the increasing consumption to such an 
extent that few have any idea of the value or volume of the business. As 
no census of this trade has ever been taken, and the reports of boards of 
trade of cities and statements of railways, &c., give no precise data as to 
receipts and shipments, it is with great difficulty that an exact idea of its 
value can be ascertained. Leading facts, however, from the most import- 
ant points, and a general average and ‘comparison as to other points, 
may enable one to arrive at an approximative idea of the extent and 
value of this industry. 
New York is one of the largest fruit-producing States in the Union, 
and the great bulk of its trade is marketed at Buitalo, which is its chief 
distributing point. 
The secretary of the Board of Trade of Buffalo, in writing to the de- 
partment on this subject, states that the dried- fruit trade of that city 
has beeen growing rapidly for the past twenty years, and has reached 
very large proportions, as will be seen from the following data: 
Nearly the entire product of the Western New York orchards is mar- 
keted at Buffalo, it being the leading distributing point. Dried fruits 
are purchased from farmers and others by local dealers generally and 
then consigned to merchants, who assort the fruit into the recognized 
qualities and brands. 
The receipts and shipments by the railroads centering at Buffalo are 
not specially recorded, but are included under the heading of “ miscel- 
laneous” or ‘“ products of the farm or garden;” and no figures are kept 
of the movement by lake, that being included under. the heading of 
“ sundries.” 
The imports of dried fruit by canal at this port we ae past three ~ 
years compare as follows, viz: 69,845 pounds in 1875 ; 35,025 pounds in 
1876; and 6,695,652 pounds in 1877. The exports for ‘the same Noe) 
were: None in 1875 and 1876, and 2,800 pounds in 1877. This stat 
ment of imports is made up of all kinds of dried fruits, and nearly ail 
of foreign growth. ‘The large increase in 1877 was on account of tak- 
ing off fhe tolls on the eanal on plums, prunes, currants, raisins, &e., 
turning the freight from the railroad to water-way. 
The following statement shows the number of tons of dried fruits left 
