2 BULLETIN 35, TJ. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Table I. — Shipments of fresh grapes from California, 1902 to 1912, inclusive^ 



Crop year. 



Carloads. 



Crop year. 



Carloads. 



Crop year. 



Carloads. 



1902 



1,033 

 1,804 

 1,451 

 1,602 



1906 



2,052 

 3,460 

 3,816 

 5,875 



1910 



4,948 



1903 



1907 



190S 



1909 



1911 



6,375 



1904 . . . 



1912 



6,354| 



1905 











1 Compiled from the annual numbers of the California Fruit Grower. 



Much difficulty has been experienced in the past in transporting 

 grapes over long distances and in holding them in sound condition 

 long enough to get the benefit of the late holiday demand. As long as 

 the present methods of picking and marketing table grapes remain 

 unchanged the area over which the fruit can be distributed in sound 

 condition is practically limited to its present dimensions. It is nec- 

 essary, therefore, to find new markets within this area as outlets for 

 the increasing production and to create a larger demand for this 

 class of fruit, as well as to extend the area and lengthen the market- 

 ing season by improving the methods of handling and storing the 

 grapes. 



In addition to the great increase in the production of California 

 table grapes, importations from Spain continue large. Table II 1 

 shows the quantity and value of Spanish grapes imported into the 

 United States during the past seven years. 



Table II. 



-Imports of Spanish grapes into the United States during the fiscal 

 years 1907 to 1913, inclusive. 



Fiscal year. 



Cubic feet. 



Barrels. 1 



Pounds. 



Value. 



1907 



1,278,325 

 2,193,617 

 1,145,748 

 1,319,907 

 1,448,420 

 1,969,651 

 1,104,799 



655, 551 

 1,124,932 



587. 563 

 676, 875 

 742, 779 



1,010,077 



566. 564 



30, 810, 897 

 52, 871, 804 

 27,615,461 

 31,813,125 

 34,910,613 

 47, 473, 619 

 26, 628, 518 



$1,531,352 

 2, 673, 563 



1908 



1909 . . 



1,473,095 

 1,591,800 



1910 



1911 



1,637,281 

 2, 254, 946 



1912 



1913 



1,285,203 







1 A barrel contains 1.95 cubic feet, the grapes weighing approximately 47 pounds. 



The grapes produced in California are of the Vinifera or Euro- 

 pean type, differing materially from the American or native grapes 

 grown in the eastern and central-western sections of this country. 

 They are of the same general type as the "Almeria" or " Malaga " 

 grapes imported from Spain, although the Almerian varieties are 

 not as yet produced in commercial quantities in the United States. 

 The Spanish grapes begin to arrive during the latter part of Septem- 

 ber, most of the shipments reaching this country during November; 

 the fruit is then marketed throughout practically the entire winter, 



1 Compiled from the Annual Reports on Commerce and Navigation of the United States, 

 Department of Commerce and Labor. 



