122 



THIRTY-FOURTH FR I 'IT-GROWERS ' COXVEXTIOX. 



f:ccoimt of my familiarity with it and the intimate connection had with 

 the subject at issue, I consented to undertake the task. 



As a result of the mission to Washin^iton the following official declara- 

 tion was obtained : 



Department of Agriculture. Office of the Secketaby. 

 r „ Washington, D. C. March 11. 1908. 



tl 0)). ( . ycecUunn : 



111 i(^s])onsp to yoin- i)ors(jn;il iiKniiiy made this date, when vou called upon me 

 111 company v.itli .AI.'ssis. Aitliiii' II. Rri-og and W. II. Brailsford. now here repre- 

 sent iim tlip fruit -rowers m the State of California, in rejjard to Food Inspection 

 JJecision s,). I to adMsc you that, in my opinion, it will be impossible for the 

 iveterfH' J.oard ol (onsulnn,- scifntific experts to arrive at a determination of the 

 question ot the w liolcsom.'nfss or unwholesomeness of sulphur dioxid in fruits cured 

 by tlip ordinary sulithur liioccss for a number of months, and perhaps for a lonjrer 

 tmip than that. In any cx. nr. you and the fruit growers of California mav rest 

 assured that no decision adverse to the use of sulphur will be promulgated ' so as 

 to affect the curinu oi- marketin- of the 1908 croj). 



The curin- and inarketiim of the 1908 crop should be done under the terms of 

 tood Inspection Decision s!i. mui if the terms of that decision are complied with, 

 there will be no .uo\ crnineiital interference with the curing or marketinir of said crop. 

 Very truly yours, 



(signed) James Wilson. Secretary. 



This was the status of the matter until April 24th, when Congressman 

 Neeclham telegraphed to the State Board of Trade, as follows : 



, ^ Washington, D. C, April 24. 1908. 



feulphur question will not be taken up till one year from next August. Dr. Taylor 

 has gone to P^urope and this was agreed upon before he left. Growers will have 

 two years more before any finding is made. 



Postponement of a consideration of this matter by the Referee B.oard, 

 as told in Congressman Needham's telegram, affords opportunity for a 

 campaign of education in respect to the fruit interests that may very 

 properly be taken advantage of. Fruit drying in California is done 

 under conditions unlike those in other states. The fruit is generally 

 larger and juicier than that grown elsewhere. It ripens fast after com- 

 ing to maturity, and must be handled quickly. The size of the fruit 

 and its richness in juice render it necessary, when it is placed on the 

 trays to dry, that some means of arresting oxydization be used. Sul- 

 phur, which a.rrests oxydization and prevents the fruit from turning 

 dark, also assists the process of dryi]]u i\u<\ has come to be looked on as 

 beneficial as well as effective. . 



What is described as the sulphur process is probably known to every 

 delegate in this convention hall, but even if this is so, it may not be out 

 of place to say the process consists in subjecting the undried fruit, 

 v/hen freshly cut and placed on drying trays, to sulphur fumes formed 

 from burning raw sulphur in a closed house or box. The house or 

 box is filled with trays loaded with fruit. A small quantity of sulphur 

 in an iron pan is placed on the floor and ignited, when the cloor is closed 

 and the fumes from the burning sulphur pass over the fruit and leave 

 the sulphur dioxid, which is found by chemical examination in the 

 dried product. Sulphur is a sterilizing agent and a germicide. By 

 its use the insect germs, if any exist, are made dormant or they are 

 destroyed. The fruit is also rendered less attractive to insects during 

 the process of drying than it would be if not sulphured. This is the 

 first process in sulphuring, and if the fruit is intelligently handled 

 only a small per cent of sulphur dioxid remains after the fruit is dried. 



The dried product goes then to the packer. The fruit is purchased by 



