CHAPTER XVII. 
STATISTICS OF THE PRODUCTION AND IMPORTATION OF FIGS. 
Compiled by E. W. MAS.Lin, San Francisco, Cal. 
The production of dried figs in California can only be approximately 
estimated, as there are no statistics in the possession of the various 
‘ailroads in the State which make a distinction between figs and 
other dried fruits. Of the many small lots of dried figs which are pro- 
duced everywhere all over the State of California no account is taken. 
Dried figs are used for cooking and pickling in almost every family 
on the Pacific coast, and the total amount thus produced and con- 
sumed must be very large. Thus figs are constantly brought in from 
the country farms to the smaller towns and consumed there. Our 
only detailed statistics are had from the special packers of figs, the 
most prominent of which are found in the San Joaquin Valley in Cali- 
fornia. These packers estimate the output of dried figs shipped out- 
side of the valley at 500 carloads, at 10 tons each. This makes for 
the whole valley of the San Joaquin 3,000 tons, or 6,000,000 pounds. 
If we presume that the total output of dried figs from all of California 
is at least 350 carloads, or 7,000,000 pounds, it will be seen that Cali- 
fornia alone produces now at least one-half of the quantity of dried 
figs consumed in the United States. But this estimate is entirely too 
low. The true figures are undoubtedly at least 1,000,000 pounds 
higher. 
The following tables show for ten fiscal years the quantity and value 
of figs imported from Turkey in Asia and from all foreign countries: 
Quantity and value of figs imported into the United States drring the ten years 
1890-1899, and the proportion furnished by Turkey in Asia. 
| Imports from Tur- 
: vie | key in Asia of the 
, : } Total imports. amounts in pre- 
Fiscal years ending June 30— ceding columns. 
Quantity.| Value. | Quantity.) Value. 
Pounds. Pounds. | 
1800.2 pes a Sate ace eee fer ee ee as ae a 9, 966, 993 $442,924 | 6,906,616 | $301,112 
1801; Se Se 8 ee eS Fe oe ee 9, 063, 663 672,141 | 6,199, 124 486, 767. 
BOR i ee RS eae eRe a ee ae one ee eee 8, 324, 861 510,591 | 4,904, 942 314, 699 
T803)2 2 3S ee eee Le nee -- eee ee 10, 503, 928 548,995 | 8,426, 723 355, 643 
SQ: te Poke oe A aed ee eee Ao eee ee 7,985, 959 392,040 | 4, 634, 268 234,174 
1g) Pea ee a ne ee Spe one Pens Seep DulatotiaetslSL0) 587,420 | 7,294,131 378, 679 
1896 32535 4 F See eS ee a ee Ci eee toe ne ee 11,900,710 639,512 | 10,283, 906 563, 851 
BOY | Fo 2 eee ee eS Le Se Ce eee | 8,940, 762 535,380 | 7,416,300 49, 844 
1898 |. eee eee Cee ee ee eee eee 9, 628, 426 509,002 | 6,872, 857 406, 213 
1809) See is ye IS Se ee A oes Se ee 7, 284, 058 356,762 | 1,609,797 | 189, 728 
Total {Sete ee gestae ee ee ease eee 95, 455, 250 5, 194, 767 | 64,548, 664 | 3, 680, 710 
