THIRTY-FOrRTH FRUIT-GROWERS' CONVENTION. 123 



packers and dealers throughout the district in which they operate, and 

 is put in merchantable condition by them. Taken from the growers 

 promiscuously, the fruit is of many shades of color, kinds and qualities, 

 and l)efore it is ready to be marketed, requires sorting, grading, and 

 l~)acking. Direct from growers it is mainly unsuited for distribution in 

 either domestic or foreign markets. 



In the packing house, before it is put in boxes for distribution to 

 the trade, the fruit is again sulphured. In being- prepared for packing 

 it is dipped quickly in hot water, which moistens the surface and softens 

 the fruit, after which it is subjected to the sulphur process. This again 

 prevents a change in color, and with the hot water plunge, kills any 

 germs there may l)e in it. This is the process called resulphuring, and 

 which has led to considerable criticism, chiefly from persons not famil- 

 iar with the requirements of trade. While dipping and resulphuring 

 adds somewhat to weight, it has little if any merit from the point of 

 profit to the packer. This is taken into account in making purchases 

 from growers, so that they really derive the benefit, whatever it is. 



If abuses have occasionally crept in under the custom of resulphur- 

 ing, this is not sufficient ground for general condemnation of the use of 

 sulphur in curing or putting up dried fruits for market. No branch 

 of business is entirely free from al)uses, and no community is free from 

 wrongdoers. The packing of fruit is as legitimate and well conducted 

 as any other branch of commercial business. If excessive use of sulphur 

 has occasionally been resorted to in the dried fruit business, it does 

 not seem necessary to apply a remedy so drastic as to imperil the entire 

 industry. Fruit growers and dealers generally recognize the merit 

 of the National Pure Food Law. and are ready to uphold it. They, 

 liowever, want the law wisely and justly interpreted and administered. 



Abundant scientific testimony is obtainable to seemingly establish 

 the wholesomeness of dried fruit cured in the manner usual in this 

 State. If examination by local chemists and pathologists is insuffi- . 

 cient, there may be added to it testimony of high authority from other 

 states and other countries. Professor Hofman, honorary medical 

 advisor and director of the Hygienic Institute of the University of 

 Leipzig, Germany, in the year 1903, in an action .brought in Germany 

 to determine whether apricots said to contain a larger percentage of 

 sulphur dioxid than was permitted in that country, testified that 

 "neither in the literature, nor in the practice of physicians, nor in 

 the records of the Royal Medical College, was one single case known 

 or reported where sulphur dioxid consumed in dried fruits had caused 

 injury to health. " 



Against the attitude of Dr. Wiley, of the Bureau of Chemistry, and 

 his opinion, stand the opinions of eminent chemists both in the United 

 States and foreign countries. If there exists a doubt in respect to the 

 effect of sulphur dioxid in fruit dried by the use of sulphur, fruit 

 growers should be entitled to the benefit of it, until the fact is indu- 

 bitably established, particularly as the custom of drying fruit by the 

 use of sulphur has been almost universally followed in this State for 

 many years without any known injurious results. 



But laying aside the matter of opinions and preference, the National 

 Pure Food Law. it seems, has clearly set forth a condition under which 



