WHY CALIFORNIA DRIED FRUITS EXCEL 



CALIFORNIA DRIED FRUIT INDUSTRY 



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A special census of the fruit-preserving manufactures of the 

 United States in 1914 shows not only that California stands first in. 

 the dried fruit industry, but that the product was in that year valued 

 at $30,771,912, and was 88.4 per cent of the whole national product. 

 An adjacent tabulation gives interesting details of this product for a 

 number of years. 



As suggested in Chapter II it is the function of the sunshine and 

 dry air of California not only to bring vigorous growth to the tree 

 and vine, and carry the fruit of both to fullness of size, beauty and 

 quality, but to continue its beneficent action until the fruit, which 

 is not required by the trade in fresh ripeness, is given imperishable 

 form, in which its beauty, flavors, aromas and nutritive qualities 

 remain available to delight and nourish mankind until the following 

 year's sunshine wins from the earth another supply of fresh ripe- 

 ness. There are many parts of the earth where good fruit is grown; 

 there are few where conditions producing such fruit continue to 

 accomplish its preservation, as they do in California. 



Product of California Cured Fruits in Tons 1890 to 1920. 



WHY THE DRIED FRUIT PRODUCT IS GREAT 



In connection with this notable factor of our horticultural pro- 

 duction, certain facts should be clearly understood by those who 

 desire to properly appreciate the industrial resources of the State. 



First. Cured fruits in California are a primary and not a sec- 

 ondary or by-product. It is true, of course, that curing fruit does, 

 to a limited extent, save from loss fruit which shippers and canners 

 are not at the time paying profitable prices for, and it frees growers 

 from helpless dependence upon fresh fruit buyers. But this does 

 not mean that curing is a way of getting something from refuse 

 fruit, not suited for other purposes. It should be taken as evidence 

 that, for the most part, grades of fruit which are cured are the same 



*The product of dried pitted plums and nectarines has always been small and arbitrarily 

 estimated. Probably it was as usual in these years. Dried grapes practically were negligible 

 for several years until prohibition awakened a demand for home fermentations at the East. 

 The present product of dried grapes is considerable, but not of record. It would be much 

 larger were it not for prices paid for fresh grapes for overland shipment inducing the great 

 increase in this movement shown in the table on page SO. 



