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MARKETING CALIFORNIA FRESH FRUITS. 



Essay by B. N. Rowley, San Francisco. 



In California, under the influence of her glorious climate, men and mat- 

 ters move with a rush. Large interests vie with one another for supremacy, 

 while important matters of detail are lost sight of or become obscured for the 

 time, overshadowed, as it were, by the magnitude and grandeur of our vast 

 undertakings. At present we are rushing headlong down that broad bower- 

 covered avenue of " fruit culture," jostling against one another in our vain 

 endeavor to reach the fruit grower's pinnacle of fame — "the greatest num- 

 ber of acres, the largest number of trees, and a record of producing the 

 greatest quantity of fruit." The question of overproduction, which has 

 been raised by some, might be profitably considered by all. Not that there 

 is any danger from overproduction in the strict sense of that term, for we 

 do not consider that fruit boxed and shipped from an orchard which has 

 been allowed to care for itself should be classed or considered under our 

 term " production." It is not of our production; it is simply an act of nature 

 guided by the hand of Providence. There is no immediate danger of an 

 overproduction of fine large fruit of choice varieties. We must admit that 

 fruit growing as a business is moving forward with a rapid stride, and is fast 

 out-traveling our facilities for distributing. One of the most important sub- 

 jects for immediate consideration is that of greater distribution of our green 

 fruits. Too many peaches, pears, apricots, plums, prunes, raisins, oranges, 

 etc., of fine quality have never been grown, but faulty distribution allows 

 these fruits every season to become a drug in certain markets, and to be 

 disposed of at unprofitable prices to the grower. The question of a pack- 

 age of suitable size in which to retail our fresh fruits for table use should 

 be considered. The present style of package is much too large for general 

 use. Our fresh fruits should be sold by the package by the retail trade, 

 and not by the pound. Packages should range in size, so that people of 

 small means could buy an entire package for a modest sum. During the 

 season just passed growers have received for their apricots from 1^ to 2 

 cents per pound; the retail trade have sold the same three pounds for 25 

 cents, or 8^ cents per pound, and if less than 25 cents worth was asked for 

 at a time the tradesman would turn up his nose at the smallness of the 

 order. With many 25 cents is more than they wish to invest in fruit to 

 eat from the hand at any one time, and they do not care to take it home in 

 a paper bag, which as a rule is wet through and bursts before they arrive. 

 If you give the public a small desirable package } t ou will greatly increase 

 the consumption of fresh fruits. In the matter of packing, do it with next 

 season in your mind. Do not face your packages with the only fine fruit 

 they contain, but pack a fair, honest box or package. It does not pay to 

 pack, ship, and pay freight on poor fruit, say nothing regarding the repu- 

 tation of the packer. Why ship the bulk of our fresh fruit to San Fran- 

 cisco and Chicago, as has been the case this season? The islands of the 

 Pacific, other portions of the East, and England afford an unlimited mar- 

 ket with their hungry millions who are only waiting for a chance to buy 

 California fruit. Hundreds of thousands of people have never had the 

 pleasure of looking on California's luscious, golden product. We need 

 better transportation facilities, and a much more elaborate and widespread 

 system of distribution. 



