15 

 PROSPECTS OF BUILDING UP AN AFRICAN EXPORT IN FRUIT. 



Our belief in the possibilities of the Cape for an export trade 

 in fruit to Europe and America is well-known to those interested 

 in fruit culture and Colonial development. This belief is abso- 

 lutely fi.rcd ; nothing can shake it. It will take time to justify 

 it, but if it turns out otherwise than as we state with the growers 

 rests the blame ; of that there can be no doubt, at all events in our 

 mind. 



\Yith a full knowledge of our unique position (a command 

 of the markets of the northern hemisphere during February, 

 March and April), we came to Africa now twenty-three years 

 ago. And the result of our observation during that period has 

 amply proved to us that w-e have the other necessary elements of 

 success, i.e., that we can grow good fruit of excellent quality, size 

 and flavour. \Ye therefore find an open and empty market in 

 deciduous fruits of a three months' duration awaiting us in both 

 Europe and America; and we on our side know that on much 

 of our soil good fruit can be grown. The Government and 

 private individuals in places have stepped in, and have amply 

 testified by thorough and practical experiment that certain of our 

 fruits, and those almost entirely are the sorts desired in the 

 several markets open to us, can be successfully shipped to Eng- 

 land. And there remain only two points (and on the successful 

 and satisfactory solution of these two points the ultimate success 

 of the industry depends) to be settled; firstly, a fair and reason- 

 able basis of freight charges with the steamship companies ; and. 

 secondly, a thorough system of distribution on the other side of 

 the water, whether in Europe or America. We have absolutely 

 no doubt that the former point, \vhen the right times comes, will 

 be amicably and satisfactorily settled with the several steamship 

 companies, that time being when we can guarantee weekly con- 

 signments of many thousand cases. In regard to the second ; it 

 is purely a business proposition, and is now being gradually ar- 

 ranged. 



During several visits to Europe and America we enquired 

 from many sources in the trade in England as to how they viewed 

 the prospects of getting fruit from South Africa; and in each 

 and every instance the reply was the same. An empty market 

 and good stuff would be sure to bring good prices, and that the 

 trade would welcome such stuff as filling a much felt want. We 

 also had the advantage of having several conversations with the 

 late Mr. W. Fox Pickstone, Vice-President of the A. Block Fruit 

 Company, who manage some of the largest fruit export houses 

 in California, and whose brand stands easily first in Covent 

 Garden Market, in the Anglo-Californian Fruit Trade. He 

 agreed that the States offered a wide and open market for our 



