THE UTILIZATION" OF CHERRY BY-PRODUCTS. 3 



the Napoleon (syn., Royal Ann), is cultivated extensively in Califor- 

 nia, and to a lesser degree in Oregon and Washington. This is used 

 partly to supply the demand for the bottled cherries of commerce 

 known as the maraschino cherries. Most of the cherries used for this 

 purpose, however, are imported from Spain and Italy. These are 

 pitted and bottled in the United States and constitute an important 

 article of commerce. A large accumulation of pits results from the 

 packing of the imported cherries, and the present investigation has 

 been extended to include this waste product, as well as the waste 

 resulting from domestic cherries. 



The extent of the cherry-packing industry is indicated in the agri- 

 cultural statistics of the States mentioned. According to the Thir- 

 teenth Census of the United States, the quantity of cherries grown 

 in New York in 1909 was 271,597 bushels, in Michigan 338,945 bushels, 

 and in Wisconsin 81,310 bushels, making a total of 691,882 bushels, 

 or 20,756 tons. The quantity grown at the present time is doubtless 

 considerably in excess of these figures. Approximately 80 per cent 

 of the crop is canned, which is equivalent to 553,506 bushels, or 16,605 

 tons. The total output of the California orchards in 1909 was 501,013 

 bushels, or about 15,000 tons. 



Accurate figures showing the total quantity of cherries pitted an- 

 nually are not available. Approximate figures, however, were ob- 

 tained by correspondence and by consultation with the principal pack- 

 ers in the various canning sections. The average annual importa- 

 tion of maraschino cherries from Italy and Spain, as calculated from 

 the quantity of pits which result, is about 2,500 tons. 



ACCUMULATION AND DISPOSAL OF BY-PRODUCTS. 



Two by-products of the cherry industry, the pits and the juice, are 

 at present entirely wasted. From the standpoint of commercial 

 utilization the pits constitute the larger and more important of these 

 waste products. 



It has been estimated that about 15 per cent of the cherries consists 

 of pits. Since definite information regarding the total quantity of 

 cherries pitted was unavailable and since the quantity pitted is de- 

 pendent entirely upon the crop of each season, only approximate 

 figures regarding the total output of waste pits are presented. 



The figures given were obtained by interviews and correspondence 

 with 23 packers in New York, 6 in Michigan, and 3 in California, 

 who estimated the quantity of waste pits in 1914 as follows: New 

 York, 800 tons; Michigan, 200 tons; and California, 400 tons. The 

 total output was probably somewhat greater, as several packers failed 

 to supply estimates. Wisconsin is rapidly increasing the acreage of 

 cherries and, as predicted by growers, will probably produce several 



