HORTICULTURE BY IRRIGATION 



RELATIVE VALUES OF FRESH AND DRIED 

 FRUITS. 



FOR the present, at least, the whole country must 

 turn to California for some of the most impor- 

 tant and conclusive experience relating to various 

 features of the fruit industry. In many of its forms, 

 the fruit business is carried on so extensively in that 

 State, and by so business-like methods, that results 

 have been formulated more exactly than in most 

 other sections; hence a practical value attaches to 



in the Santa Clara valley is known as the West Side 

 Fruit Growers' Association. During the past three 

 or four years this organization has been a highly suc- 

 cessful operation, and its methods have met the 

 approval of the best business men in the community. 

 From, the books of this association the following 

 table was compiled, showing the relative values of 

 fresh and dried fruits of various kinds. While some 

 of the fruits named are not grown in most parts of 

 the United States, yet they are all grown extensively 

 in some parts outside of California; hence the table 



RELATIVE VALUES OF FRESH AND DRIED FRUITS. 



t. 



the figures showing the results of operations on a 

 large scale by well-conducted establishments in that 

 State. Santa Clara county, of which the principal 

 city is San Jose, is to the deciduous fruit industry of 

 California what Los Angeles or Riverside county is 

 to the citrus fruit industry. The curing of various 

 fruits is probably done more scientifically on a large 

 scale in Santa Clara county than in any other county 

 in the United States. Its annual output of prunes 

 surpasses by far all other parts of the United States 

 together, and its product of peaches, apricots, ber- 

 ries and other fruits is enormous. One of the best 

 evidences of the advanced condition of the fruit 

 industry in that county is the number and strength 

 of the various organizations of fruit producers. Co- 

 operation is the watchword of that part of California, 

 and the good results which have been achieved there 

 have stimulated organization of growers in every 

 part of the State. One of the most progressive and 

 successful of the local associations of fruit growers 



will prove of great value to all growers in the mount- 

 ain and Pacific States, .and of much interest to all 

 fruit growers everywhere. 



In California, as elsewhere, the shrinkage in weight 

 due to drying fruits varies with the seasons. In a 

 wet year, or when orchards are unduly irrigated, the 

 shrinkage is naturally more than in drier seasons. 

 In 1893, careful attention to all necessary details 

 brought out the fact that the fruits of another drying 

 association in the same county shrank in the follow- 

 ing ratios : 



Apricots, all varieties 5 . 56 to 1 



Peaches " 6.04 " 1 



Pears " 7.11 " 1 



Nectarines " 8.00"! 



French Prunes 2.66 " 1 



Silver " 3.18 " 1 



German " 2.86"! 



Egg Plums .4.98 " 1 



