THE ORANGE IN COMMERCE 31 



All the countries thus mentioned as contributing to the world's 

 commercial product are endowed with semi-tropical and not with 

 tropical climates. 



RELATION OF CALIFORNIA TO THE WORLD'S ORANGE 



PRODUCT 



Competition with the product of California is working hardship 

 in the Mediterranean region because this region can more than 

 supply Europe, and needs American markets as an outlet. Italy 

 has exported six million dollars worth of oranges and lemons in a 

 year, but recently prices have declined and the interest is depressed. 

 Every effort is being made to secure relief from local taxation and 

 from duties imposed by north European countries. The Spanish 

 product of oranges and lemons, which ranks with that of the United 

 States, has to meet heavy tariffs in all countries except the United 

 Kingdom and the belief at Valencia is (U. S. Commercial Relations, 

 Vol. 2, 1902, page 686) that the limit of British consumption of 

 Valencia oranges at paying rates has been reached; in fact, the 

 British markets collapsed under the heavy shipments of 1901. 

 When it is stated that the value of oranges imported into the 

 United Kingdom in 1900 was $10,603,950, and such a free buyer 

 has more than enough, it can be realized how important it is to 

 the Mediterranean producers that the populous countries of central 

 Europe should hold less strictly to agrarian interests which aim to 

 hamper the entrance of food supplies even if they can not them- 

 selves produce them. Manifestly the American product can only 

 enter such markets with a fancy product which will win an extra 

 price, except as a little difference in the ripening season may afford 

 an opportunity. 



Because of the decreased import duties under the tariff of 1913 

 the commercial position of the orange in the United States was 

 such as to awaken apprehension, but the war brought full demand 

 and increased prices, in 1921 we are confronted by the need of a 

 tariff which will preserve the American citrus industry. The 

 product of the West Indies is a direct menace to the Florida product, 

 which meets it in point of market season, and the Mexican 

 product, which was, before the Mexican revolution, undergoing 

 expansion at the hands of American capitalists, is constantly feared 

 by the California growers because the Mexican railway will give it 

 quick entrance to the great central states and constant advantage 

 in distribution to the East and the Northwest. The orange from 

 the West Indies and South Florida is different from the California 

 orange in main ripening season and in character of the fruit, but 

 the differences do not give full relief. With the late ripening 

 varieties, the California grower extends his shipments into the 

 autumn, and thus laps upon the early fruit from Florida and 

 Jamaica, while the parts of California which bring earliest maturity 

 to the fruit are shipping before the Southern fruit is cleared away. 

 In fact, California can keep the markets supplied with oranges fresh 

 from the trees and in prime condition the year round. 



