Economic Status, and Extent of the Peach Industry 15 



creases the expense of drying that profitable competition 

 with the sun-dried fruit, in the absence of some compensat- 

 ing feature, is impossible. 



The importance of this industry in connection with the 

 California peach crop is indicated in the fact that for the 

 five-year period 1912 to 1916^ there were dried in that state 

 an annual average of 30,000 tons of fruit, or an equivalent of 

 120,000 to 150,000 tons of fresh fruit. During this period 

 the output of dried fruit ranged from 23,000 tons in 1913 

 to 37,000 tons the following year. The size of the crop in 

 that state, and the demand of the fruit for canning and ship- 

 ping fresh, influence the quantity dried. 



The second method of utilization referred to is canning. 



The figures in Table I give some idea of the importance 

 of the peach canning industry in handling the California 

 crop : 



Table I. — Number op cases op freestone and clingstone 



PEACHES canned IN CALIFORNIA IN DIFFERENT YEARS ^ 



1 Calif. Fruit News, Vol. 54, No. 1486 (Dec. 30, 1916). 



2 Figures from Calif. Fruit News, Vol. 50, No. 1381 (Dec. 29, 

 1914), and Vol. 54, No. 1486 (Dec. 30, 1916). 



