594 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 
ing the trade in dried fruits to be one of great value and importance, 
do. not give any statistics as to receipts, &c., and as no census of the 
business has ever been taken, the main facts in regard to the trade, 
meager though they be in details and figures, are derived solely from 
the leading merchants who deal in these commodities. 
The receipts and consumption of dried fruits in the city of New York 
are enormous, but in the absence of any census it has been found im- 
possible te obtain any satisfactory statistics or authentic information 
regarding the same. The railroad, steamboat, and canal lines centering 
there enter this commodity on their freight schedules under the heads 
of “orchard and garden products,” and “‘ green and dried fruits,” and 
there is no way of dividing the proportionate quantities to enable one 
to arrive at the separate amounts. 
Leading merchants report a very large and increasing business, and 
heavy receipts from all parts of the country. The reports of the Boards 
of Trade, therefore, treat the subject under a general and miscellaneous 
head, and, do not afford any detailed information. A population of a 
million and a half in the city and its immediate surroundings, together 
with a floating population of 50,000 daily, must consume a vast amount 
of dried fruits, which enter so largely into so many necessary prepara- 
tions for food. 
The shipping of this port is the largest in the United States, and the 
supplies of dried and canned fruits to this trade alone is one of great 
quantity and value. From this city all the neighboring and interior 
towns are supplied, requiring immense stocks to be constantly provided. 
The exports are very large and increasing with the gradually mereasing 
foreign demand. Custom-house entries have the same fault of dealing 
with j shipments of dried fruits under general headings. 
Boston has largely increased the consumption of both dried and green 
fruits. The imports of foreign fruits into that market are important, 
and the exports of domestic fruits, dried and green, are on the inerease. 
AS a distributing point, Boston has yielded the Western market to New 
York and Philadelphia. 
Comparative statement of exports of American, fru ts duré ng the fiscal yoars ended, respectively, 
June 30, 1877 and 1876. 
woe eee — == - = — ——— 
Year ended June 30, | Year ere nne 30, ay 1877 compared with 
1877. 1876. 
Fruits. Is 
| Quantity. | Value. Quantis| 
Xe | —_—_|—_— 
Apples, dried, pounds -....---.-----.-- 14, 318, 052 $520, 292 | 713, 840 $87, 915 | $852, 377 eee: 
Apples, green, bushels ...--..--.------ 1, 146,929 | 986,112} 177, 298 | 221, 764 764, 348 eS 
Other fruit, green, ripe, or dried - --..--|.-------.--; 2680252 \ewnnne ates 210, 177 58, aL el ee ae 
Preserved in cans or otherwise...--.-.|------------ 762, 344 |/.....-=-- | 327, 422 | 434, 0225)... cee 
