116 PROCEEDINGS OF NINETEENTH FRUIT GROWERS' CONVENTION, 



up to the point of grading on the trees first, and secondly with a 

 machine made for that purpose. 



A Member: Is it necessary to grade them before drying? 



Mr. Righter: We used to grade them before drying, unless they were 

 nearly of the same size. We can grade fruit, either green or dried, for 

 25 cents a ton by means of machinery made for that purpose. The 

 following are the standard grades of dried fruit, as adopted by our 

 associations : 



Dried Fruit Grades. 

 Peaches. 



Fancy includes those that are 2 inches in diameter or larger. 

 Choice includes those that are \% to 2 inches in diameter. 

 Standard includes those that are 1% to 1% inches in diameter. 

 Prime includes those that are 1% inches in diameter and smaller. 



Apricots. 



Fancy includes those that are \% inches in diameter or larger. 

 Choice includes those that are 1% to 1% inches in diameter. 

 Standard includes those that are 1% to 1% inches in diameter. 

 Prime includes those that are 1% inches in diameter and smaller. 



Prunes. 



30-40 includes those that require between 30 and 40 to weigh 1 pound. 

 40-50 includes those that require between 40 and 50 to weigh 1 pound. 

 50-60 includes those that require between 50 and 60 to weigh 1 pound. 

 60-70 includes those that require between 60 and 70 to weigh 1 pound. 

 70-80 includes those that require between 70 and 80 to weigh 1 pound. 

 80-90 includes those that require between 80 and 90 to weigh 1 pound. 

 90-100 includes those that require between 90 and 100 to weigh 1 pound. 

 100-110 includes those that require between 100 and 110 to weigh 1 pound. 



Mr. Berwick: I want to ask you a question as to Italian and French 

 prunes. I understand that in Washington and Oregon they claim they 

 are getting a cent a pound more for them than we do for our California 

 prunes. 



Mr. Righter: I can't say about that. I do not think it is true. We 

 sold our 30-40 prunes for 1\ cents in sacks. Their prunes are larger 

 than ours, but I do not think they ever will be a popular fruit, as they 

 require sweetening to make them palatable, while ours do not. Owing 

 to this fact, I do not think they will ever be popular with poor people, 

 who cannot afford to buy sugar to sweeten them. Such people must 

 eat the cheapest kind of fruit they can get. Good, sweet prunes are food 

 cheap enough for poor people to buy. 



Mr. Zimmerman: I took a trip last year through Germany to find 

 out what could be done there for California fruits, and more especially 

 superior dried fruits. I know that u*p to about six years ago there was 

 very little of our dried fruit in Germany, and really, for that matter, 

 in any European country. I thought it worth while to look into this. 

 It was about the middle of December when I got over there, and I 

 found in various cities a good many California apricots. In Berlin, 

 Hamburg, and many other places in the central part of Germany, I found 

 dried apricots, but nothing else. No peaches, prunes, nectarines, nor 

 anything of that kind. I asked why they did not buy peaches, and 

 they said they could not use them. So I showed my samples, and 

 everywhere they were very much pleased with the fruit. I had several 

 sample boxes, 25 pounds each. I found there was quite a good market 



