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Even in the midst of the fresh fruit season, consumers in San Francisco can 

 buy Alden Fruit cheaper, (when there is any in the market) than its equivalent 

 of fresh fruit at retail. 



COST AS COMPARED WITH OTHER METHODS OF PRESERVING. 



Paring and slicing require the same labor and room for all methods, and 

 there is no way of disposing of fruit with less trouble and expense than to spread 

 it on our screens. Then, one-fourth of a cord of wood, or its equivalent o^ 

 coal, will run one Evaporator, at a proper degree of heat, for twenty-four 

 hours, and will expel the moisture from four thousand pounds of fruit. This 

 cost of fuel does not vary much from the cost of extra labor to spread and 

 gather sun-dried fruit. So we may say that the real difference in cost between 

 the two systems rests in the interest upon the original cost of an Alden factory. 



The practical business man will consider rather the percentage of profit 

 yielded by the year's work, than the fiirst cost of the apparatus ; it is enough for 

 him to know that there is a demand for the goods, and that the business will 

 "pay."' That the Alden business does pay, is demonstrated by the facts that 

 the goods find a ready sale at remunerative prices, and that many new factories 

 are started every year. Alden goods are better and cheaper than sun-dried or 

 canned fruits, because, we buy direct from the orchard when just ripe enough, 

 yet perfectly fresh and unbruised, and we cure-preserv^e {notdn) the fruit ; and 

 as all the work is done under cover, in a few hours' time the disgustingly un- 

 wholesome deposits of insects and dust are excluded. The natural fresh color 

 and flavor remain m it, and instead of deteriorating, or wasting any of the 

 valuable qualities, we convert a part of the starch into sugar, so that in cooking 

 one-half the sugar necessary for fresh fruit is ample for these "raisined" products 

 of the Alden process. On the other hand, only such fruits as won't sell fresh 

 are used for sun-dn,-ing, and the work is generally done without regard to clean- 

 liness. While it remains exposed in the open air about 1 5 days, to insects and 

 dust, fermentation takes place which entirely destroys the saccharine matter, 

 changing the color, texture and flavor, and when prepared for cooking the 

 necessary washing wastes considerable of the substance; besides a large part of 

 the weight of ordinary dried fruit is dust, and what is used of such articles is 

 tough, sour, indigestible, and unfit for human food. Upon the average, the prices 

 for the Alden goods are about three times those 0/ common dried fruit. 



THE REAL COMPETITION IS "WITH CANNED FRUITS. 



The business of canning fruits and vegetables has assumed immense propor- 

 tions, and millions of cans of peaches, tomatoes, corn, etc., are annually 

 packed in the United States. That the Alden goods will finally take the place 

 of canned goods, there is now no room to doubt; and they are destined to find 

 a demand as much larger than canned goods ever had, as the price is more rea- 

 sonable and the product better. The cost of tin cans is, in some instances, 

 nearly four times the cost of the fruit to fill them, and the loss through leak- 

 age cannot be reduced in practice below ten per cent. Our packages cost faj 



