30 PROCEEDINGS OF TWENTY-SIXTH FRUIT-GROWERS' CONVENTION. 



The prunes are graded, processed, boxed, sacked, bottled, or cured, 

 according to quality. The poorer grades are made into by-products, or 

 distilled into brandy, without loss. This economy should be practiced 

 by us. 



In 1900 the French prune C)rop was about 100,000,000 pounds, and 

 was sold at an average price of 4 cents per pound, all sizes, with little 

 competition from California. 



The German prune is raised in Germany for home consumption. 



It seems that, commercially, the baked or cured prune is not held in 

 as high esteem in Europe as formerly, the higher classes preferring pre- 

 served, canned, and bottled, fruits and leaving the prune for the middle 

 classes. This is said to be owing to the fact that the prune is not 

 marketed, as a rule, in a neat, clean, attractive manner, except some 

 of the fine, large grades that are sold, even here, at high prices. Much 

 the same might be said of the prune business in this country. Some 

 of our rich and well-to-do families live upon the ripe fruits and grapes 

 of our orchards and vineyards in season, and out of season are supplied 

 from refrigerators, and are not sufficiently attracted to our cured fruits 

 to purchase very freely of them. 



The Pacific Northwest. — We have an American competitor in the 

 markets of this country, worthy of consideration in fixing prices on 

 California prunes. 



The States of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho have some 50,000 acres 

 planted to prunes — 2,500 acres to French, and the remainder mainly to 

 Italian or Fellenberg. 



The soil and climate of these States are not specially adapted to the 

 successful culture and fruitage of either of these trees, and our enter- 

 prising neighbors are now seeking for a hardy and more prolific prune 

 tree, the fruit of which will better stand their frost and rainfall. 



California. — The outlook for all Pacific Coast industries is good, 

 with prospect of future development and profit. 



The American invasion of the Pacific islands and countries will estab- 

 lish a peaceful commercial supremacy and make profitable markets 'for 

 our surplus fruit and other food products. 



The United States canal will enable us to compete in the markets of 

 Europe and carry the prune war even into France. 



In times of peace and practical exclusion from the markets of the 

 world, the California prune-growers have planted, watered, and culti- 

 vated, and have in hand to-day one of the greatest, and probably the 

 most profitable, of the industries of the State, and one that is capable 

 of extension and improvement according to the demand for prunes in 

 the markets of the world. 



It is not advisable, however, to increase the prune acreage of the 

 State very much until all these things come to pass. 



