PROCEEDINGS OF TWENTY-SIXTH FRUIT-GROWERS' CONVENTION. 45 



Your committee is of the opinion that California cured fruits, properly packed in 

 25- and 50-pound boxes, will in the long run give better satisfaction to all parties 

 interested. 



We will here mention the fact that very many Chicago buyers, as well as buyers west 

 of that market, desire cured fruits packed in sacks. This, in our opinion, is not the 

 most desirable way in which to pack and ship California cured fruit. 



The attention of the members of the Convention is called to the following comments 

 of Professor Edward R. Lake in his article on " Prunes in Western Europe," which, in 

 our judgment, thoroughly covers the matter of careless packing and the use of poor, 

 rough, odd size packages. ProfeL'Sor Lake says: 



"The most neglected phase of the prune industry is that of packing and packages. 

 In the marketing of no other fruit or food product, save possibly the coarser vegetables, 

 is so little attention paid to attractive packing and packages. Not less than four fifths 

 of the product is put upon the market in large, rough boxes or bags, and especially is 

 this the case with the smaller sizes of the Earopean prunes and those from the Pacific 

 Northwest. A few of the larger packing establishments of France, Germany, and 

 California use a moderate amount of taste and a fair quality of material in their 

 packages, while one or two French and German firms put upon the market a limited 

 amount of very fancy packages of choice fruit. 



"On the markets of eastern United States and Europe prunes are usually handled 

 like peanuts and potatoes. Instead of being handled as a prepared fruit food, they are 

 treated as a raw article ; exposed to the flying dust and dirt of the market place ; 

 shoveled and carted about just as one might handle coal, in old boxes, barrels, sacks, or 

 trays. The result is that as the housewife passes from place to place making her pur- 

 chases for the table the thought of dried prunes for sauce gives her a feeling of mild 

 disgust, and justly so. If the average curer of prunes on the Pacific Coast could see the 

 article as it is commonly marketed in the large cities, he would feel distrustful of his 

 own senses. 



" Not all of the evaporated fruit is thus handled, but a large amount reaches the 

 consumer in this way. Not alone the smaller grades, though certainly a larger per 

 cent of these are thus sold than of the fancy grades, but some of the fruit of 40-50 grade 

 is sold with so much dirt upon it that the work of preparing it for the table must be as 

 great as for potatoes. This condition can only be overcome by adopting a style of 

 package that will not permit handlers and dealers to foul the fruit. 



"There appears to be no reason why this product under ordinary conditions, pro- 

 viding it is protected from attack by insects, will not keep for two or three years with- 

 out serious deterioration. Certainly there is no reason why it should not be placed on 

 the market in such manner as to make it as attractive as the canned product, which is 

 the chief competing article. While it is possible that much of the evaporated product 

 is of too low a grade and quality to warrant even a small additional expense for fancy 

 packing, yet for all the higher grades and best qualities it would appear that this is a 

 field worthy of thorough investigation by the progressive packer and shipper. In the 

 world's markets of to-day attractive packages count for at least as much as quality with 

 the majority of buyers, and since dried prunes are looked upon by many as a coarse 

 food, it is the more important that careful attention be given to their market appear- 

 ance. The glass jars, bottles, and cans in which some of the Bordeaux packers put up 

 a portion of their fancy quality prunes are too expensive for the general market, and 

 yet, thus far, these are the only packages in which the fruit keeps for an indefinite 

 period without decreasing in value through being worm-eaten and sugared. The great 

 need at present is a cheap, light, fly- and air-proof package." 



B. N. ROWLEY, 

 A. J. HECHTMAN, 

 ^ A. G. FREEMAN, 



R. W. HERSEY, 

 W. M. GRIFFIN, 

 Committee on Fruit Packages. 



Upon motion, the report was adopted. 



The Convention then adjourned until 9:30 o'clock Wednesday morning. 



